James Manyika, Google’s senior vice president for technology and society, has been appointed to Airbnb board of directors.

Global accommodation rental marketplace Airbnb has appointed James Manyika, Google’s senior vice president for technology and society, to its board of directors.

Airbnb announced the appointment this week, stating that it was effective immediately and that Manyika will lead the board's stakeholder committee.

Manyika born and raised in Zimbabwe holds master's degrees and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics from both the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Oxford.

He worked at McKinsey for nearly three decades, where he led the McKinsey Global Institute's research on technology, the economy, and important global trends.

Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, said Manyika has dedicated his career to ‘exploring technology’s impact on society, and is one of the world’s leading experts in AI’.

Chesky added: “He started advising Airbnb in 2018 and has been an essential thought partner to me for years. It’s inevitable that AI will reshape society and have a profound impact on our business. With James joining our board, we’ll continue to benefit from his guidance as we embark on the dawn of this new technological revolution.”

“I’m honoured to join the board of directors and look forward to working together with the entire Airbnb team to build for the future in a way that benefits hosts, guests and communities everywhere,” Manyika said.