San Francisco, CA – February 11, 2020 – Nextdoor, the neighbourhood hub, today announced that Maryam Banikarim will join Nextdoor as Head of Marketing. Maryam will lead Nextdoor’s efforts to elevate the Nextdoor brand and manage across the company’s Marketing, Communications and Policy, and International teams. 

Sarah Friar, Nextdoor CEO, said, “Maryam is an incredible leader with a strong track record of results in building integrated teams, elevating global brands, and driving growth. Her passion for local community and purpose-driven leadership makes her an ideal fit for Nextdoor, and I’m thrilled to welcome her to the neighborhood.”

Ms. Banikarim said, “Purpose should be the heart of a company’s brand. Nextdoor’s purpose of cultivating a kinder world where everyone has a neighbour they can rely on immediately resonated with me. I couldn’t be more excited to join this extraordinary team that is committed to creating meaningful connections that bridge our online and offline worlds.”

Maryam has more than 25 years of marketing experience, managing global brands and international teams. She was most recently the Global CMO of Hyatt Hotels, repositioning the Hyatt brand as purpose driven by putting the guest at the center of the business. The work she led on Hyatt’s “A World of Understanding” campaign delivered significant lift across brand tracking metrics and received high praise from colleagues and owners, as well as recognition from the advertising industry. Maryam also created partnerships to extend Hyatt’s reach with organisations such as (RED), Dua Lipa, AFAR media, and No Barriers. Her brand work at Hyatt resulted in increased brand awareness and organic user acquisition across online and offline channels. Prior to Hyatt, Maryam was SVP & CMO of Gannett, broadening the company’s “Make a Difference Day” which resulted in the largest day of volunteering across the country. This commitment to local events and community outreach is crucial for Nextdoor. Maryam also sits on Adweek’s Women Trailblazers Council Board, Fast Company’s Impact Council, and is the U.S. Board Chair of Reporters Without Borders.

Maryam was born in Iran and moved to the U.S. when she was 12. She has lived in London and Paris and spent a significant amount of time in Argentina and Brazil. Maryam will be based in New York where she will be well positioned with major clients and Nextdoor’s global footprint.

About Nextdoor, Inc.

Nextdoor is the neighbourhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services. We believe that by bringing neighbours together, we can cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighbourhood they can rely on. 

Building connections in the real world is a universal human need. That truth, and the reality that neighbourhoods are one of the most important and useful communities in our lives, have been a guiding principle for Nextdoor since the beginning. Today, neighbours rely on Nextdoor in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, and Canada, with many more to come. 

 Nextdoor is a privately-held company based in San Francisco with backing from prominent investors including Benchmark, Shasta Ventures, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Riverwood Capital, Bond, Axel Springer, Comcast Ventures, and others. For additional information and images: nextdoor.com/newsroom.