Travel lifestyle brand Away today announced the addition of Edith Cooper and Robert Kaiden to the company’s Board of Directors. This announcement comes as Away has taken important steps to build out its leadership team in order to advance its long-term strategic growth plan.
“It’s an honor to have Edith and Robert join Away’s Board of Directors. Edith is a groundbreaking and empathetic leader, who is also an expert in fostering genuine human connections and scaling communities. Robert is a thoughtful and passionate financial executive whose expertise, analytical skills, and business acumen will be an invaluable asset to Away,” said Jen Rubio, Away CEO and Co-Founder. “We are thrilled to work with these leaders as we seek to capitalize on the current momentum in the business and leverage the tremendous growth opportunities ahead.”
As key players in business, consumer, and technology industries, Cooper and Kaiden each bring unique perspective and experience to the Board as the company works to reach its key objectives. Cooper is the co-founder of Medley, a membership-based community for personal and professional growth, and was formerly a Partner and Global Head of Human Capital for Goldman Sachs. Kaiden worked at Deloitte for twenty-six years, where he served as audit partner, and is currently the Chief Accounting Officer at Twitter, Inc. Joining Away’s dynamic Board of Directors, both Cooper and Kaiden will contribute a fresh outlook to the organization’s operations and evaluation of its long-term goals. Their addition to the Board will be a meaningful input to ongoing growth in the business.
The Board announcement comes as the company bolsters its overall leadership team with the addition of five new executives over the past twelve months, including Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Chief Commercial Officer, and the appointment of Jen Rubio as CEO of Away last May.
Looking forward, Away is prepared for a year of accelerated strategic growth, as it continues a dynamic rebound from the pandemic. Since as early as the second half of 2020, Away’s key business metrics have significantly outperformed initial pandemic recovery estimates, with online and in-store conversion rates eclipsing that of pre-pandemic levels and continuing to accelerate quarter over quarter. High buyer intent and pent-up travel demand continue to fuel Away’s growth, and the company has initiated foundational investments in key areas informed by evolving consumer trends as a result of shifting travel behaviors.
About Edith Cooper
Edith Cooper, who also serves on the Boards of Amazon and PepsiCo, was the first Black woman to become a partner at Goldman Sachs and is a co-founder of Medley, a new membership-based community for personal and professional growth. Cooper earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges.
About Robert Kaiden
Robert Kaiden has served as the Chief Accounting Officer at Twitter for over six years. Prior to joining the social media platform, he worked for Deloitte & Touche for 26 years. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School, as well as an MS in Accounting from the University of Hartford, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Hamilton College.
About Away
Away is a travel 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 countries and travelers all 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.
