“The Changing Face of America’s Boardrooms” is brought to you through a collaboration between Georgeson, KPMG, Semler Brossy and the Equilar Diversity Network (EDN). Learn more at www.equilar.com/diversity.
Equilar: You’re an employee at the company, but the GC has not traditionally been a role that serves as an inside board member. What went into the board’s decision to add you as a director? What perspective do you bring that makes this a good fit?
Rachel Barnett: As General Counsel of Travelzoo, I have been involved in major commercial endeavors for four years. My ongoing collaboration with teams across the company put me in a position to not only act as a legal advisor, but also to work creatively to solve business challenges and execute on commercial objectives. That working experience and my legal background brings a unique point of view that I believe the board sees as valuable—the ability to advise on corporate governance matters, compliance, ethics and other potential risks of the company, while bringing a broader business-minded view and perspective on the inner workings of Travelzoo. I’m grateful and excited for this opportunity to work with the leadership team and drive the business.
Equilar: Having intimate knowledge of the company probably means you were pretty well prepared to serve as a director. That said, was there anything that surprised you or changed your perspective once you joined as a board member full-time? What would you say is the biggest adjustment you had to make?
Barnett: A pleasant surprise is seeing how impactful the diversity of our board is to our company’s success. Travelzoo is fortunate to have a board where 80% of the board are women, hailing from countries across the world. I’m now seeing firsthand how these varying backgrounds can offer different and relatable perspectives that play a part in everything from setting a high-level vision to improving the day-to-day operations. In addition, I see more engagement, enthusiasm and a general sense of pride from Travelzoo employees in being part of a company that promotes diversity and embraces the global nature of our business.
I think the biggest adjustment I had to make was stepping outside my comfort zone by focusing less on legal risks and shifting toward understanding the commercial challenges facing a global company. This is similar to the progression in my General Counsel role, but now in a much bigger way. It has led to many conversations with teams around the globe, wearing even more hats and continuously diving deeper into the business. I am learning something new every day, and I am enjoying every moment!
Rachel Barnett is General Counsel and a Member of the Board of Directors of Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO), a global internet media company and trusted publisher of travel, entertainment and local deals. Prior to joining Travelzoo in 2013, she was an attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, LLP