Maya Poulton

Digital Luxury, Startup, and Partnerships Consultant / Creative & Brand Leadership

2015 - Current

- Hired to lead creative direction, brand strategy, partnerships, product development, e-commerce, and marketing for startups and brands in the travel, fashion, wellness, and lifestyle spaces as a consultant (for launches or regional expansions, to achieve fundraising goals, for restructuring, or to create new online/ app products) - Clients include: luxury fashion brands, airlines, sustainable brands, subscription models, electric vehicles, fitness apps, celebrity-owned jewellery brands, DTC brands, and e-commerce companies + marketplaces

Co-Founder & CMO

2018 - 2022

Safara aimed to upend high-frequency travel booking via a subscription model, and was acquired 2022. - Conceptualized Safara and lead it from idea-stage through private beta and global launch - Raised $7M+ from investors including Seqouia, Kleiner Perkins, Accel, and A16z - Responsible for original ideation behind subscription travel (in 2017), which attracted top VC investment and global press, as well as for the idea of the world's first carbon neutral hotel booking platform (2021) - Launched in Jan 2020 with print + digital coverage in Vogue, The Times, Harper’s Bazaar, and T+L - Recruited and managed a team including engineers, marketers, and product; team grew to 30+ - Grew pre-launch owned marketing audience to 140K via influencer relationships (0 marketing spend) - Reached $1MM Bookings annual run rate within 12 months, with zero advertising spend - Ultimately chose to shut down due to COVID-19 travel limitations in Sept 2020; acquired and re-funded August 2021 by ex-Square and AMEX execs; I consulted post acquisition through May 2022 on transition - Led full re-brand (working with top global agency, Made Thought) to a private membership booking site, with 100% carbon offsetting (the world’s first global hotel bookings site to do so) Some Press: https://www.afar.com/magazine/safara-is-the-online-travel-agency-for-a-new-decade https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/safara-travel-membership-program-rewards-110101945.html https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/holiday-new-openings-2020 https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/travel/a30440445/subscription-travel-trend/

Interim CMO

2020 - 2021

Peter Dundas is the former Chief Designer for Roberto Cavalli, Pucci, and Emanuel Ungaro. Reporting into the founders, I led marketing strategy for this luxury fashion and accessories brand, leading partnerships with Amazon Fashion (one of the first 12 luxury brands to launch) as well as optimizing Dundas' social, search, CRM, and website DTC sales. I also created and merchandised campaigns, and led influencer marketing initiatives for the brand. I worked on photo shoots and produced selects as well as executed on campaigns working with copy and design, reporting into Peter Dundas. I increased online sales by 1000%, without increasing marketing budget, during the pandemic.

CMO

2016 - 2018

I managed global digital marketing (reporting to Todd Snyder) and helped to launch Todd Snyder's first global flagship in NYC in Dec, 2016. Scaled TS's online sales from $2M to $20M+ in under 2 years.

Head of Marketing - North & South America + Asia

2016 - 2017

I led all marketing activities and campaigns in North & South America and Asia Pacific, helping to position the brand as a leader in luxury travel. Examples of work: https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/the-founders-series http://www.cntraveler.com/story/uber-wants-to-give-you-a-free-night-in-a-boutique-nyc-hotel

Audience Growth & Partnerships Consultant

2015 - 2016

Hired to assist Lyst with their US launch. Spearheaded + executed a campaign with UBER that engaged 210MM people, went viral, received national press, and cut through the noise of NYFW. Additionally, secured partnerships with Goop, Design Hotels, Mr & Mrs Smith, and The Coveteur

Vice President, Partnerships

2012 - 2015

- Launched & managed a rewards program with over 800 live partners (525+ contracts) – covering 150+ major cities worldwide - Partnerships spanned luxury brands in the categories of fashion, travel, and lifestyle - Secured ASW’s first ever brand partnerships for acquisition purposes; grew paid subscribers to 50K members in year 1 ($5MM+ ARR) - Hired & managed a team of 10+ global direct reports, reported into CEO - Participated in key product & re-launch strategy decisions for site and app; worked closely with CTO - Key partners included: Cathay Pacific, Mandarin Oriental, Mytheresa.com, Maserati, Sixt, Matthew Williamson, Leading Hotels of the World, and The Economist

Strategic Partnerships Manager- Global

2010 - 2012

- BD, strategic planning, merchandising, & corporate-level relationship management for all hotel chains and cruise lines, including: Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt, Viceroy, ACCOR, and many more (90+ brands) - Reported to VP of Partnerships; promoted 3 times in under 2 years - Contracted over 500 hotels to the site; responsible for 34% of site offering (relative to a team of 20+ sales execs) re: partnerships at departure - Worked closely with Marketing Team on growth partnerships, such as with BA or Condé Nast Traveler JETSETTER was acquired by TripAdvisor, April 2013

Menswear PR

2009 - 2010

Business Development Manager - Luxury & Retail, Asia Pacific

2008 - 2009

Main clients: LVMH Group, Burberry, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal.