Waymo welcomes first Chief Safety Officer and Chief Commercial Officer

We’re excited to share that Deborah Hersman will join Waymo as our first Chief Safety Officer, and Amee Chande will join as our first Chief Commercial Officer. These newly created positions, which will both report to our CEO John Krafcik, emphasize our commitment to public safety, and our first important steps toward commercialization.

Debbie will join Waymo in January from the National Safety Council, where she has been CEO and President since 2014. As Waymo’s first Chief Safety Officer, Debbie will be responsible for field and systems safety across our extensive testing and development program. A widely-respected safety advocate with experience leading government agencies and non-profit organizations focused on transportation safety, Debbie will oversee the design and enhancement of our product safety program, working closely with Waymo’s engineering, product, and legal teams.

“I’m proud to welcome two talented and experienced executives in the field of safety and business operations who will lead us into our next phase of growth,” said John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo. “As we begin to make our self-driving cars available to the public, safety will continue to be front-and-center of everything we do. Debbie has dedicated her career to safety and will lead our efforts to evolve our world-class safety program so we can deliver on our mission to make our roads safer.”

“Waymo is well known for its industry-leading technology and I’m excited to join the team to ensure we continue to build upon its world-class programs, continuously innovating and advancing the field of safety,” said Deborah Hersman, Waymo’s first Chief Safety Officer. “I’ve dedicated my career to promoting safety in our communities, and I’m joining Waymo because of the potential to make an even greater impact on reducing road injuries and fatalities.”

As Waymo’s first Chief Commercial Officer, Amee will lead business strategy, corporate development, operations, and strategic partnerships. Members of the public in Phoenix, Arizona are currently trialing Waymo vehicles ahead of the introduction of a commercial service, which will be overseen by the Chief Commercial Officer.

“Waymo’s technology has the potential to help transform ride-hailing, logistics and delivery, public transportation, and personal car ownership,” said Krafcik. “Amee’s deep background in developing and scaling global consumer businesses will enable us to realize these incredible opportunities.”

“I’m thrilled to join Waymo as the team takes its first steps toward commercialization,” said Amee Chande, Waymo’s first Chief Commercial Officer. “Waymo is beginning the journey of deploying the world’s most experienced driver across our key business areas, enabling a new form of shared transportation. I look forward to creating and expanding revenue opportunities for the business as we introduce our first commercial application and evolve our technology, service, and availability over time.”

Amee has held senior executive positions leading business, strategy and operations at multinational consumer brands. She joins Waymo from Alibaba Group, where she was Managing Director of global strategy and operations. She has held executive leadership positions at Staples, Tesco and Walmart.