Airbnb has appointed Jenny Gadd to serve as its global head of production. After spending more than 20 years working for ad agencies and production companies, Gadd finally switches to the client side. Her hire at Airbnb follows the recent promotions of Alexandra Anderson and Samya Deb to creative directors in San Francisco and Singapore, respectively, and the hire of San Francisco-based Naz Arandi as creative director.
Gadd will be based in San Francisco, and report to James Goode, director of Airbnb’s in-house creative team. This role will see her taking a more hybrid approach, working with production partners in the industry, as well as the organic team of filmmakers, editors and photographers found within the Airbnb community that are often utilized for content creation.
Most recently, Gadd worked with the Ogilvy & Mather NY team as executive director of content production, overseeing its broadcast and online video producers, as well as business affairs, talent and broadcast operations. Now in her new capacity, Gadd will utilize her extensive cross-platform experience to help continue bringing the Airbnb story to life and showcasing their diverse global community.
A Swedish native, Gadd took an untraditional career path which led her first to the U.S. in 1996, working for Fallon Worldwide on award-winning campaigns for Citibank, BMW, Miller Lite and United Airlines, before taking production roles with Believe Media and Thomas Thomas Films. Returning to Sweden in 2007 to oversee production for clients such as Adidas, Google and Toyota for award-winning digital agency North Kingdom, Gadd soon found herself back on U.S. soil, joining Johannes Leonardo in New York as head of integrated production working for clients such as Coca-Cola and Google.
In hiring Gadd, Airbnb also pulls from within its own community. As a seasoned Airbnb host and traveler and a self-proclaimed early adapter of the brand, Gadd said, “I am beyond thrilled to join James, Tony and the entire creative team at Airbnb. I love everything Airbnb stands for; this is a company that has ultimately changed the way the world of travel functions. We also share the same core values, making this not only a perfect personal fit but a truly exciting professional opportunity.”
Airbnb’s Goode related, “As brand custodians we represent a globally diverse community. To continually create resonant content for that community and beyond, finding and promoting the best diverse creative talent remains at the forefront of our recruitment goals. Jenny’s diverse background, global perspective and her cross-industry expertise will directly impact the way in which Airbnb represents itself in the wider world.”
