Catherine Powell

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Catherine Powell
Born1967
NationalityBritish
EducationOxford University
EmployerAirbnb
TitleGlobal Head of Hosting
Spouse(s)Hugh Powell
Children3

Catherine Clare Powell (born in 1967), is a British businesswoman. She is the Global Head of Hosting at Airbnb, having formerly been the President of the Disney Parks, Western Region (where she oversaw Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris).

Early career[]

Born in the United Kingdom in 1967, Powell left with her family to live in Hong Kong at the age of 8. She attended boarding school in England (Downe House), before studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Somerville College, Oxford.

With the benefit of some previous professional experience in television, Powell joined BBC Worldwide[1] in 1997.

Career at Disney[]

Catherine Powell joined The Walt Disney Company in 2004 as creative director, Group Portfolio. She then became executive director of sales at Disney Media Distribution in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and then vice president of the same department, at which point her scope broadened to include Scandinavia, the Benelux, and Israel. Several years later, Powell led the media distribution department for The Walt Disney Company in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She oversaw the conception and implementation of marketing strategies for group’s television channels, such as Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior and ABC News. In June 2014, Powell left Europe to become managing director of the Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand. Based in the Sydney office, she was responsible for the implementation of the company’s strategy, the coordination and management of all departments, supervising international franchise opportunities, the development of existing subsidiaries, and exploring new development possibilities in the region.

In April 2016, Catherine Powell was appointed présidente of the Euro Disney group, succeeding in that role with effect from July 2016.

Powell was named President, Disney Parks, Western Region in March 2018, with responsibility for Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and Disneyland Paris.

It was announced on September 23, 2019 that Powell's position was eliminated and that she would be leaving Disney after 15 years with the company "to do something different."[2]

Career at Airbnb[]

In January 2020 it was announced that Powell had been appointed Head of Airbnb Experiences (which offers activities, such as tours and events, through the Airbnb platform)[3] Seven months later, she was promoted to become Airbnb’s Global Head of Hosting.[4]

Personal life[]

Powell married her husband in 1993.[5] They have three sons. Due to the family's frequent moves due to her husband's job, their eldest son was born in Paris, the second in the UK and the third baby in Germany.[6]

Other activities[]

She has been a member of the Sydney Opera House Trust since January 2016[7] and elected member of Chief Executive Women in Australia.

References[]

  1. ^ To Infinity and Beyond: How Disney is focusing on the future, Adnews, 8 December 2015
  2. ^ Palmeri, Christopher (September 23, 2019). "Bloomberg - Disney's U.S. Parks Chief Leaves After 15 Years With Company". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2019-09-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Catherine Powell to Lead Airbnb Experiences, Airbnb News, 29 January 2020.
  4. ^ How Airbnb’s Seniormost Female Executive Transformed Vulnerability Into Courage, Preetika Rana, Wall Street Journal, 11 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Hugh and Catherine Powell's wedding".
  6. ^ "EXCLUSIVELY AT GLOBAL TRADE SYMPOSIUM: Global Business Executive, Catherine Powell, Who Most Recently Oversaw Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris, Shares Her Unique Life and Corporate Experiences Along Her Global Leadership Journey". 10 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Sydney Opera House Trust". Archived from the original on 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
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