Wheels Up has appointed marketing veteran Lee Applbaum to the newly created position of chief marketing officer (CMO). Applbaum will lead all strategic marketing and brand positioning for Wheels Up during the pivotal time of completing integration efforts from its multiple acquisitions and the company's continued momentum.

“I have known and respected Lee for many years,” says Wheels Up founder and CEO Kenny Dichter. “Anyone who has worked with him knows he is a marketing guru, a branding expert and a true master of his craft. He is a great addition to our team as the addressable market continues to grow and we make private aviation accessible to more individuals and businesses.”

“I'm energised by the opportunity to join a company like Wheels Up, a trailblazer in the industry with marketing prowess, forward vision and huge growth opportunity,” adds Applbaum. “Kenny is a remarkable leader with an incredibly talented team, and I am excited to expand on what's been built already and propel the brand forward for the future.”

Applbaum joins Wheels Up with over 25 years of experience building brands and leading global marketing teams across a wide range of consumer goods and services. Most recently, he served as CMO at Surterra Wellness, a fast-growing wellness lifestyle company. Prior, he was global CMO for Patrón Tequila and Grey Goose Vodka at Bacardi Global Brands, overseeing the fully integrated marketing and innovation efforts across more than 165 countries. This followed the successful $5.1B sale of Patrón to Bacardi in 2018, where he also previously held the CMO role.