Ron Klain to join Airbnb as Chief Legal Officer
Airbnb announced today that Ron Klain will join the company as chief legal officer.
Ron is a distinguished leader with more than four decades of experience across government and business, best known for his role as White House chief of staff during President Biden’s first two years in office. Previously, Ron was chief of staff to then-Vice President Biden and to Vice President Al Gore at just 34 years old, making him the youngest chief of staff to a vice president in American history.
“Ron is both a big-picture strategic thinker and a highly skilled operator, and I’m thrilled he’ll be a close advisor,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO, Brian Chesky. “People have described Ron as one of the smartest people they’ve ever met, but more than his intelligence, he’s known for his excellent judgment and his big heart. Ron is the perfect addition to our team.”
In addition to his notable career in government, Ron brings significant private-sector legal experience to Airbnb. During his tenure as a partner at O’Melveny & Myers he represented numerous technology and marketplace businesses in complex litigation. He also served as chief legal officer at Revolution, the venture capital firm started by AOL founder Steve Case.
“I have always believed that travel is such an important part of creating connection and cultural understanding, and I am honored to join Airbnb to further this important work. Airbnb has accomplished so much already, and I’m especially inspired by Brian’s vision for the company’s next chapter,” said Ron Klain, Airbnb’s incoming chief legal officer. “I was proud to rejoin O’Melveny & Myers earlier this year and work with outstanding colleagues and clients, and I had planned to finish my career there, but the opportunity to work for Brian and join his incredible executive team was impossible to pass up.”
Klain is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. He will start at Airbnb on January 1, 2024, and will report to Airbnb CEO & co-founder, Brian Chesky.