Away Announces Three Key Executive Hires As It Enters Into Next Phase Of Growth

Industry veterans Charles Liu, Melissa Weiss, and Luke Chatelain join as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Digital Officer, respectively

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Away

Nov 17, 2021, 10:00 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global lifestyle brand Away today announced three C-suite hires to further bolster its leadership team. Charles Liu, Chief Operating Officer, Melissa Weiss, Chief Marketing Officer, and Luke Chatelain, Chief Digital Officer, join the company amid a critical phase of growth, as the travel industry continues to rebound from the impact of COVID-19.

Today's announcement underscores Away's continued resurgence in the wake of the pandemic. During this year of recovery, the company's ability to outperform initial revenue estimates has enabled the business to transition strategically into a return to growth position. In 2021 alone, Away has expanded their product assortment, launched collaborations with notable figures including Serena Williams and fashion designer Sandy Liang, established partnerships with renowned brands ranging from Marriott to KITH, strengthened its social impact partnerships with non-profit organizations like Global Glimpse and Together We Rise, and continued to grow both the corporate and retail teams.

The newest members of the Away executive team are:

Charles Liu joins as Away's first Chief Operating Officer. In his role, Liu will lead Away's end-to-end supply chain and business technology teams as the company makes significant investments in business infrastructure and enters its next phase of growth. With an extensive depth of experience, Liu previously held leadership roles at Walmart, Shopko, and Walgreens, and most recently, was COO at Casper.
Melissa Weiss, Away's newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer, will oversee the brand's best-in-class marketing organization; including brand marketing, growth marketing, creative, and communications functions. With a strategic focus on building brand affinity while driving revenue performance, Weiss brings a depth of marketing experience from her time as Head of Marketing of Lyft's Micromobility division, CMO of Barry's Bootcamp, and from previous leadership roles at Theory and Amazon Fashion.
Luke Chatelain serves as Away's Chief Digital Officer, a newly-established role. In this position, Chatelain oversees the digital product, UX, and insights teams to define the future of Away's customer-centric omnichannel commerce experience. This position will ensure Away's ability to pioneer new solutions while remaining deeply connected to the business and the customer. Previously, Chatelain drove digital transformation as Vice President, Innovation and Digital Product at West Elm, and most recently, as Chief Digital Officer of J. Crew.

"This is an incredibly exciting time at Away. After an extraordinarily challenging period for the travel industry, we have been capitalizing on growing customer demand and seeing significant gains across all categories," said Jen Rubio, CEO, Away. "As we prepare for our next stage of growth and a critical year ahead, we are thrilled to welcome Charles, Melissa, and Luke to our leadership team. These talented and accomplished leaders bring an impressive depth of experience and diverse expertise to Away. I'm eager to see how their leadership will help drive operational excellence, foster innovation, deepen our community engagement, and unlock Away's unbounded future."

Liu, Weiss, and Chatelain round out an impressive group of tenured Away executives which also includes Catherine Dunleavy, Chief Financial Officer; Laura Willensky, Chief Commercial Officer; Cuan Hanly, Chief Design Officer; Lydia Cheuk, General Counsel; and Katie Coviello, VP of People & Culture.

About Away
Away is a global lifestyle brand with a mission to transform travel through products and content that inspire people to get away more. The company launched in 2016 with one perfectly designed carry-on and has since expanded to offer an array of luggage and travel essentials built for the modern traveler. Headquartered in New York City, with teams in London and Toronto, Away currently ships products to over 35 countries around the world. Away has been named one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and has been recognized on TIME's list of "Best Inventions." To learn more, visit awaytravel.com.

Media Contact
Away
Hillary Karsten Layton
Sr. Director, Communications & Corporate Affairs
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SOURCE Away