Away’s New CEO Rubio Says There’s No ‘Time to Waste’ as Business Recovers From 50% Drop Last Year

Online luggage retailer Away’s new CEO, co-founder Jen Rubio, says the company doesn’t have “time to waste” as it prepares for a surge in business in the wake of the pandemic that brought travel to an abrupt halt and sent Away’s revenue plunging 50% to about $135 million in 2020.

This year, Away is hoping to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels and to exceed 2019 revenue of $300 million next year, says a person close to the company. In an interview with The Information, Rubio, who was named CEO last week, said that last year’s performance was better than expected when the pandemic began and revenue initially fell 90%.