Away Names New CEO Amid Culture Backlash

(Bloomberg) -- Away said on Monday it appointed Lululemon Athletica COO Stuart Haselden as its new chief executive to help travel lifestyle startup expand, just days after The Verge published a story about the luggage brand’s “toxic” work environment.

Haselden is set to start his new role on Jan. 13 and will join Away co-founders Steph Korey and Jen Rubio on the board, the company said in a statement. Haselden’s appointment follows an eight-month recruitment process, Korey said in separately e-mailed comments.

Haselden’s appointment “will be transformative for Away’s next phase of growth,” said Korey, who will assume the role of executive chairman.

During Haselden’s five-year tenure at Lululemon, he helped the company double its revenue and increase its market cap from $6 billion to nearly $30 billion, Away said in its statement. He previously served as the CFO of J. Crew and also spent time at Saks, Inc.

To contact the reporter on this story: Linly Lin in San Francisco at llin153@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sebastian Tong at stong41@bloomberg.net, Nathan Crooks

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