Airbnb is an online marketplace that allows people to rent out homes, rooms, or unique accommodations to travelers. It connects hosts (people who have space to rent) with guests (people looking for a place to stay) through a website and mobile app.
Founded:2008
Headquarters: San Francisco, California United States
Industry: Travel and Hospitality
Platform: Web & Mobile App
Country Manager, Japan
Challenges
Outcomes
Undefined Competitive Landscape: Airbnb’s service was still in its early stages, with no direct competitors in Japan to benchmark or source leadership talent
Identifying the Right Leadership Profile
The role required a rare mix of entrepreneurial and international experience; rare experience in Japan.
Building a Talent Pipeline
Candidates had to be sourced from adjacent industries through extensive market mapping.
Successful Leadership Placement
First Country Manager pioneering an industry and remained in role for over 12 years.
Strong Market Expansion
Japan became Airbnb’s second-largest market outside the United States.
Ecosystem Growth
Airbnb invested in initiatives and partnerships to grow the alternative accommodation market in Japan.
The Challenge.
While we had an existing network of qualified leaders, Airbnb needed more than experience. They needed a pioneer to establish an industry and scale their disruptive service in Japan. The mandate was clear, identify a leader with a proven track record of growing successful businesses, someone who could also serve as the face of Airbnb in the country; inspire and build high-performing teams, and skillfully navigate complex regulatory landscapes.
There was no formal job description, only a bold vision from leadership. This search demanded deep market insight, extensive networking, and sharp intuition to identify a once-in-a-generation leader. Someone who could thrive in ambiguity, align global strategy with local execution, and build the cross-functional foundation that would define the future of travel in Japan.
The Approach.
We began by holding in-depth intake sessions to understand Airbnb’s ambitions in Japan and to define the ideal profile for their future General Manager. The role required a rare combination of entrepreneurial skill, global perspective, and strong leadership. Once aligned on Airbnb’s employer value proposition, we launched a targeted outreach campaign to spark interest among high-caliber passive candidates. We facilitated exploratory conversations between Airbnb and prospects, while also providing hands-on logistical support, including the use of our office as a local base for candidate meetings.
The Outcome.
We successfully completed Airbnb’s Country Manager search where the candidate has worked for over twelve years. Japan is Airbnb’s second largest market outside of the United States with over 50,000 private listings and over 20,000 hotels listed on the platform.
Airbnb has also invested more than US$30 million in a series of initiatives aimed to help grow their community and promote responsible and sustainable tourism. Airbnb also partners with more than 117 companies as a part of their Airbnb Partners programme working together to build the alternative accommodations industry in Japan.