What changed? In January, Coach elevated Joon Silverstein to CMO. She succeeded Sandeep Seth, who serves as CGO at parent company Tapestry and added president of Tapestry International to his title.
Why it matters: A decade-long Coach veteran, Silverstein had already led campaigns that modernized Coach’s image, connecting it with Gen Z while driving digital growth, including sub-brand Coachtopia. Her hire showcased the brand’s commitment to balancing heritage luxury with a contemporary, global audience. – Rebecca Stewart
Josh Line, Yahoo
What changed? Yahoo turned 30 this year, and the web’s first big search engine marked its birthday with a spate of colorful activations, including a memorable (if baffling) Super Bowl spot starring Bill Murray. Then, as if the marketing team didn’t have enough to do already, it got a new boss in March. Josh Line filled a CMO office left empty since Tressie Lieberman split for Starbucks the previous fall.
Why it mattered: Line spent close to 14 years climbing the marketing ladder at Paramount, having already cut his teeth on the agency side. Yahoo gave him plenty to do from day one, including leading the effort to turn more Gen Zers on to email and boosting awareness of content hubs Yahoo News, Yahoo Sports, and Yahoo Finance. In a statement, Line pledged to “reignite love” for the brand. – Robert Klara
Rebecca Van Dyck, Airbnb
What changed? In June, Airbnb named former Meta and Levi’s exec Rebecca Van Dyck as CMO, while former marketing lead Hiroki Asai took on the new role of chief experience officer.
Why it matters: The CMO job at Airbnb had been vacant since 2018, when its first CMO, Jonathan Mildenhall, departed after four years. Van Dyck’s arrival dovetailed with Airbnb’s move to become about “more than just stays.” Founder and CEO Brian Chesky wants the business to evolve into a travel and lifestyle platform, and Van Dyck will be tasked with leading the brand into that next chapter. – Rebecca Stewart
