Former Navan executive Rich Liu is rejoining the company as CEO of Navan Travel, a new role at the company overseeing its broader travel business, the company announced.
Liu was chief revenue officer of Navan, then TripActions, from 2018 to 2021 and helped lead three funding rounds, Navan’s New Distribution Capability certification and the launch of Navan Expense. Navan co-founder and CEO Ariel Cohen in a statement said he was a “champion” of the company “who played a key role in Navan’s evolution, instilling the customer-first growth mentality that remains our north star today.”
After leaving the company, Liu served as chief business officer at AI litigation and investigation platform Everlaw. Now returning to Navan in mid-May, Liu will report to Cohen and lead business areas at Navan Travel including strategy, business development, product, design and operations, according to Navan.
“As a growth leader, I know firsthand how integral travel is to driving growth for companies,” Liu said in a statement. “Internal teams are also 20 percent to 30 percent more productive, and I suspect that in the coming years, those who haven’t invested in an in-person strategy will fall behind.”
In December, Navan named Michael Sindicich as CEO of Navan Expense.
Navan also announced that it has appointed financial leader and advisor Amy Butte to its board of directors as chair of the audit committee. In its announcement of the appointment, Navan highlighted her experience in spearheading IPOs, including serving as the New York Stock Exchange’s CFO during its own IPO in 2006. Cohen in a statement touted her “hands-on experience guiding innovative companies through pivotal moments.”
Navan’s own IPO plans long have been a topic of discussion in the industry. The company reportedly filed confidential paperwork for an IPO in 2022 and more recently cut its global workforce by 5 percent “to increase operations efficiencies.” A Navan spokesperson said there is no update to announce on any IPO plans.
