Catherine Powell
{{Short description|British businesswoman (born 1967)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Catherine Powell (52163448755) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Powell in 2022
| name = Catherine Powell
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|2 December 1967}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = British
| education = Oxford University
| occupation =
| years_active =
| employer = AmaWaterways
| net_worth =
| title = President
| predecessor =
| successor =
| boards =
| spouse = Hugh Powell
| children = 3
| mother =
| father =
| awards =
}}
Catherine Powell ({{nee|Young}}; born 2 December 1967), is a British businesswoman. She was 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). She took over {{cite web | url=https://www.travelagentcentral.com/africa-indian-ocean/new-cruise-new-president-new-voyages-trade-support | title=New in Cruise: Executive Movement, New U.S. Homeports | Travel Agent Central | date=18 February 2025 }} as the incoming President of AmaWaterways, effective February 17, 2025.
Early life and education
{{BLP sources section|date=December 2023}}
Catherine Young (later Powell) was born on 2 December 1967 in England.{{Cite web |title=56 years later |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C0XaWmCyoG7/ |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=Instagram}} She moved with her family to live in Hong Kong at the age of eight, but later attended boarding school in England (Downe House).{{cn|date=April 2024}}
She studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Somerville College, Oxford.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
With the benefit of some previous professional experience in television, Powell joined BBC Worldwide{{Cite news |first1=Pippa |last1=Chambers |url=http://www.adnews.com.au/news/to-infinity-and-beyond-how-disney-is-focusing-on-the-future |title=To Infinity and Beyond: How Disney is focusing on the future |work=AdNews |date=8 December 2015}} in 1997.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Career at Disney
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.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
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.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
In April 2016, Catherine Powell was appointed president of the Euro Disney group, succeeding Tom Wolber in that role with effect from July 2016.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Powell was named president, Disney Parks, Western Region in March 2018, with responsibility for Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and Disneyland Paris.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
It was announced on 23 September 2019 that Powell's position was eliminated and that she would be leaving Disney after 15 years with the company "to do something different."{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-23/disney-s-u-s-parks-chief-leaves-after-15-years-with-company |title=Bloomberg - Disney's U.S. Parks Chief Leaves After 15 Years With Company |last=Palmeri |first=Christopher |date=23 September 2019 |website=Bloomberg |access-date=2019-09-24}}
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){{Cite web |url=https://news.airbnb.com/catherine-powell-to-lead-airbnb-experiences/ |title=Catherine Powell to Lead Airbnb Experiences |work=Airbnb News |date=29 January 2020}} Seven months later, she was promoted to become Airbnb's Global Head of Hosting.{{Cite news |first1=Preetika |last1=Rana |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-airbnbs-seniormost-female-executive-transformed-vulnerability-into-courage-11639198803 |title=How Airbnb's Seniormost Female Executive Transformed Vulnerability Into Courage |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=11 December 2021 |url-access=subscription}}
Powell left her position as global head of hosting in June 2024.
Personal life
Powell married her husband, Hugh Powell, in 1993, and changed her surname from Young to Powell.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.tatler.com/gallery/hugh-and-catherine-powells-wedding |title=Hugh and Catherine Powell's wedding |magazine=Tatler |date=29 January 1994}} 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 in Germany.{{Cite interview |first1=Catherine |last1=Powell |interviewer=Jim Prever |url=https://www.perishablenews.com/produce/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-e/ |title=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 |work=Perishable News |date=10 December 2019}}
Other activities
Powell has been a member of the Sydney Opera House Trust since January 2016,{{Cite web |url=http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/corporate_info/our_people_trust.aspx |title=Sydney Opera House Trust |publisher=Sydney Opera House |access-date=2016-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815085529/http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/corporate_info/our_people_trust.aspx |archive-date=2016-08-15 |url-status=dead}} and is an elected member of Chief Executive Women]] in Australia.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
References
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Category:British women business executives