Airbnb Names Pepijn Rijvers CBO to Scale Hotel Growth

Airbnb has appointed Pepijn Rijvers as chief business officer with immediate effect to oversee its Homes, Hotels, Global Markets and Enterprise Operations divisions [1]. Rijvers replaces Dave Stephenson, who established the company's dedicated hotels arm and departs after eight years, as the platform aggressively expands traditional lodging distribution and targets boutique supply [[1], [2]].

What divisions will Pepijn Rijvers oversee at Airbnb?

Rijvers assumes immediate leadership across Airbnb's core lodging and operational divisions, specifically heading Homes, Hotels, Global Markets and Enterprise Operations [[1], [2]]. ShortTermRentalz reported that his role focuses on steering the platform's core accommodation portfolio while scaling distribution further into hotels and wider travel segments [1]. Hotel Dive noted the mandate directly tasks Rijvers with scaling Airbnb's hotel push as the company seeks broader inventory [2].

The appointment brings deep lodging supply and online travel agency experience into the platform's senior management [[1], [2]]. Rijvers previously served as chief business officer at Tripadvisor Group, directing its consumer-facing units, Experiences and Hotels [1]. Before Tripadvisor, he spent 13 years at Booking.com in several senior posts spanning performance marketing, international expansion and accommodation supply [1]. During his tenure at Booking.com, Rijvers served as managing director of accommodations and helped build that platform's homes segment [1].

Why is Airbnb hiring an Online Travel Agency veteran?

Airbnb co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky explained that Rijvers' background offers clear insight into how Airbnb's distribution model differs from transactional online travel agents [[1], [2]]. Chesky stated that Booking.com serves as an intent platform where guests arrive already knowing their intended destinations simply to finalize bookings [[1], [2]]. In contrast, Chesky wants Airbnb to influence guest inspiration earlier in the journey [[1], [2]].

According to Hotel Dive, Chesky distributed a companywide email on Sept. 1 highlighting Rijvers' perspective on destination discovery [2]. Chesky wrote that Rijvers believes the platform can become the most local brand globally by guiding travelers on where to travel, where to stay and what activities to book [2].

How does Dave Stephenson's departure alter executive duties?

Outgoing chief business officer Dave Stephenson will remain with the company through the end of 2026 to support the leadership transition after an eight-year tenure [1]. Stephenson previously served as Airbnb's chief financial officer for five years before becoming its first chief business officer and head of employee experience [[1], [2]]. During his time as financial chief, Stephenson steered Airbnb through the COVID-19 pandemic and its 2020 initial public offering [[1], [2]].

As chief business officer, Stephenson built the unit that established Hotels as an internal business and oversaw updates to its Services and Experiences categories [[1], [2]]. Alongside Stephenson's planned exit, Airbnb distributed his former internal employee responsibilities across multiple departments [1].

What organisational changes accompany the leadership transition?

Airbnb has restructured its internal operations following Stephenson's departure [1]. Vice president of communications Fallon O'Connor has been named head of communications and people, gaining a seat on Airbnb's executive team [[1], [2]]. O'Connor will direct the newly created People organisation, uniting talent and belonging, development and recruitment, while keeping communications and people operations as distinct functions [1].

Meanwhile, employee-related administrative groups will transition under chief financial officer Ellie Mertz [[1], [2]]. ShortTermRentalz confirmed that Workplace Operations along with Performance and Rewards now report directly into Finance [1]. Corporate Development and Strategy are also shifting to the Finance umbrella [1]. Corporate partnerships will transition under Hiroki Asai, Airbnb's global head of supply growth [1].

These leadership adjustments follow other executive appointments earlier this year [2]. Hotel Dive reported that Airbnb previously brought in former Meta generative artificial intelligence lead Ahmad Al-Dahle as chief technology officer and appointed Gus Fuldner as global head of operations [2].

How is Airbnb expanding its hotel inventory?

The operational restructuring aligns with Airbnb's active expansion of its hotel footprint beyond independent short-term rentals [[1], [2]]. Last month, Airbnb executed an agreement with boutique hotel operator Lark Hotels, incorporating more than 75 Lark properties directly onto its booking platform [2].

The Lark agreement forms part of Airbnb's targeted push to secure distinctive lodging inventory [2]. Lou Zameryka, Airbnb's head of hotel enterprise and connectivity partnerships, noted that travelers increasingly search for character and an authentic sense of place that boutique and independent properties supply [2]. Under Rijvers, the company is using these boutique integrations to scale hotel inventory across global markets [[1], [2]].