Senior Brand Strategy Lead, APAC

Airbnb, founded in 2007, has expanded from a small home-sharing concept in San Francisco to a global platform with over 5 million hosts and more than 2 billion guest arrivals across nearly every country. The company empowers hosts to provide unique stays and experiences that enable guests to connect with local communities authentically.

About the Role

The Senior Brand Strategy Lead for APAC will report to the Senior Brand Strategy Lead, International, and be the cornerstone for implementing Airbnb's brand vision throughout the culturally rich and commercially significant APAC region, including India, Australia, Korea, China, and Japan. This position bridges Airbnb’s global brand ambitions with nuanced local cultural knowledge, crafting brand narratives that feel native and resonate deeply across markets rather than appearing as direct translations.

This role collaborates closely with Senior Marketing Leads and the APAC Marketing Director across countries, as well as the Global Brand Strategy team, Consumer Insights, Creative, and Media divisions to root each marketing brief in authentic local insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Regional Creative Directors and Senior Marketing Leads across APAC markets to develop compelling briefs grounded in genuine local consumer insights rather than surface-level localization.
• Partner with the International Brand Strategy Lead to evaluate global brand frameworks for relevance within APAC, identifying and addressing potential issues early in the process.
• Design strategic frameworks that map cultural similarities and differences within APAC to reveal actionable opportunities for regional and local campaigns.
• Produce localization briefs for the International Creative team that integrate market-specific research, cultural context, and input from country marketing teams, ensuring creative relevance beyond translation.
• Work with Consumer Insights to identify gaps in APAC research and commission studies that enhance long-term brand and cultural understanding.
• Maintain comprehensive cultural intelligence across core APAC markets, staying informed on shifts in consumer behavior, cultural trends, and competitive landscapes.
• Lead APAC immersion sessions for Global Strategy and Marketing teams to build authentic regional fluency among global stakeholders.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to country Senior Marketing Leads and the APAC Marketing Director, helping refine briefs, sharpen insights, and align local initiatives with broader brand strategies.

Qualifications and Expertise

• Over 15 years of experience in brand strategy, with significant direct experience living and working in or across multiple APAC markets such as India, Australia, Korea, China, or Japan; actual multi-market immersion is essential.
• Deep cultural fluency across APAC that extends beyond demographics to understand values, tensions, and behaviors shaping travel, community, and belonging.
• Proven success in creating locally resonant briefs and campaigns, working collaboratively with marketing and creative teams from insight generation through to creative refinement.
• Experience with client-side roles or agencies, ideally within consumer internet, travel, lifestyle, or technology sectors.
• Skilled in translating global brand objectives into specific strategic frameworks for different markets without compromising global consistency or local authenticity.
• Comfortable managing complexity and ambiguity across multiple markets, able to balance broad and detailed perspectives.
• Strong collaborator and bridge-builder who earns trust with senior marketing leaders and diverse stakeholders.
• High emotional intelligence to navigate a complex network of internal and external stakeholders, balancing priorities and fostering alignment through strategic rigor and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent qualitative and quantitative analytical capabilities with experience partnering with insights and research teams to deepen consumer understanding.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, capable of crafting inspiring briefs and confidently presenting strategies to senior leaders.
• Passionate about Airbnb and travel, with direct experience as an Airbnb host or guest in APAC considered a plus.
• Language skills relevant to APAC markets are beneficial though not mandatory.

Inclusion Commitment

Airbnb is dedicated to attracting and nurturing the most diverse talent pool possible. The company believes that a diversity of ideas drives innovation and engagement, enabling the development of superior products and services. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.