SEATTLE — Jay Carney, who was press secretary for President Barack Obama, is leaving the highest coverage and public communications job at Amazon to affix Airbnb.
Airbnb stated in a weblog publish on Friday that Mr. Carney would develop into its world head of coverage and communications.
Mr. Carney, a former journalist at Time journal, joined Amazon in 2015 as its first senior vice chairman of worldwide affairs, combining public relations and authorities lobbying as the corporate confronted rising scrutiny. He fiercely protected Amazon’s picture and that of his boss, Jeff Bezos, one of many richest males on the planet.
Mr. Carney’s departure is considered one of a number of adjustments atop Amazon a yr into the tenure of Andy Jassy, who succeeded Mr. Bezos as chief government. Mr. Jassy, who beforehand constructed and ran Amazon’s cloud computing enterprise, is understood for his consideration and curiosity in particulars and has dug into components of the corporate which might be newly below his management.
Dave Clark, the architect of Amazon’s logistics enlargement, introduced final month that he was leaving earlier than a successor was named. John Felton, a transportation government, changed Mr. Clark because the chief government of Amazon’s retail and operations enterprise. Two of the corporate’s most senior Black executives, who have been Mr. Felton’s friends, additionally departed.
Mr. Jassy introduced Mr. Carney’s departure in an electronic mail to his senior management staff, praising him for “his many important accomplishments on behalf of Amazon’s prospects and staff, for serving to us construct a robust set of capabilities in public coverage and P.R..” The New York Instances obtained the e-mail.
“Every part about my time at Amazon has exceeded my expectations,” Mr. Carney stated in an electronic mail to his staff on Friday, which was additionally obtained by The Instances. He didn’t present a remark when contacted on Thursday.
Amazon faces extra regulatory threats from governments world wide now than at any time in its historical past. The Federal Commerce Fee, led by an Amazon critic, Lina Khan, is conducting a broad investigation into whether or not the corporate’s practices broke antitrust regulation. Lawmakers can also vote this yr on laws that will cease Amazon from favoring its personal merchandise, like batteries and trash luggage, over these bought by opponents in its on-line market.
Amazon’s public relations specialists and lobbyists have promoted the corporate as a signature employer and boon to native economies the place it operates. In 2018, the corporate introduced a minimal wage of $15 an hour, drawing reward from its frequent critic, Senator Bernie Sanders, unbiased of Vermont.
However Mr. Carney’s staff acquired a black eye throughout Amazon’s seek for a second headquarters, when in 2018 it underestimated the progressive backlash it will face in doubtlessly constructing a serious presence in New York. Amazon reversed course and selected one other location.
Mr. Carney’s staff additionally confronted criticism after an official Amazon Twitter account dismissed a congressman’s concern final yr that staff needed to urinate in bottles whereas on the job. The corporate apologized.
Extra lately, Mr. Carney’s staff has mounted a vigorous response to the antitrust laws, which Amazon has stated would make it troublesome to supply its signature quick delivery of its Prime subscription service. The corporate spent roughly $9.1 million on federal lobbying in 2015. Final yr, it spent $19.3 million.
Drew Herdener, who heads public relations below Mr. Carney, was promoted to senior vice chairman on Thursday, based on 4 folks with information of the inner announcement. The communications staff has grown from 10 folks to “a number of hundred,” Mr. Herdener stated in an interview final fall, including that Amazon had employed 200 communications professionals within the earlier yr alone.
As the corporate searches for a brand new head of worldwide affairs, Mr. Herdener will report on to Mr. Jassy, and the coverage groups will report back to David Zapolsky, the final counsel, based on the e-mail.
Airbnb has been in search of its personal head of coverage and communications after Chris Lehane, a former aide to former President Invoice Clinton, left for a cryptocurrency enterprise capital fund earlier this yr.
Erin Griffith contributed reporting.
