Former chief of staff to President Biden, Ron Klain, has been named as the new chief legal officer at Airbnb, the company announced on Monday.
Airbnb praised Mr. Klain as a valuable addition to the team due to his extensive experience in Washington.
Prior to his role as the president’s chief of staff, Mr. Klain served as chief of staff to Mr. Biden when he was vice president and to Vice President Al Gore. He also played a key role as the “Ebola czar” during President Barack Obama’s administration.
“Ron is both a big-picture strategic thinker and a highly skilled operator, and I’m thrilled he’ll be a close adviser,” said Airbnb 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.”
Mr. Klain held the position of White House chief of staff from the beginning of Mr. Biden’s term until the early part of this year.
During his tenure at the White House, Mr. Klain oversaw significant legislative victories including the bipartisan infrastructure law and Mr. Biden’s signature tax and climate initiative. He also navigated through the challenges in late 2021, handling the withdrawal of the military from Afghanistan and managing new waves of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Jeff Zients took over as White House chief of staff this year while Mr. Klain returned to the O’Melveny & Myers LLP law office.
“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,” Mr. Klain said in the Airbnb statement.
Mr. Klain, an alumnus of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School, is set to commence his duties at Airbnb on Jan. 1.
Airbnb offers short- and long-term stays at vacation homes and other properties, often seen as an alternative to hotel accommodations.
However, recent news reports have raised concerns about an oversupply of rentals and a decrease in demand for available properties.
Former White House press secretary Jay Carney, who previously served under Mr. Obama, joined Airbnb last year as a policy chief.
