The new Chief Operations Officer at Hometime, a leading property management scaleup, is a former Airbnb executive who played a key role in the company’s success across Australia and New Zealand
Aiau Yong, who previously served as the APAC General Manager at logistics payment platform PayCargo, has joined Hometime as its new Chief Operations Officer (COO). Before his tenure at PayCargo, Yong was a significant player at Airbnb as the ANZ Supply Lead, where he was instrumental in recruiting and onboarding hosts over nearly six years.
Hometime, which was founded in 2016 in Perth, manages a wide array of services including cleaning, booking inquiries, property maintenance, and marketing. The company boasts the largest collection of professionally managed holiday homes in Australia, featuring a substantial number of Airbnb properties among its portfolio.
Recently, Hometime raised $10 million to fuel its expansion strategy and has acquired several local competitors, such as Sydney-based Hey Tom, Host My Home in Cairns, and bnbpal in Melbourne.
In his new role as COO, Yong will be responsible for overseeing Hometime’s network of 40 local hosts and driving its acquisition strategy. This appointment is a significant step for Hometime, following its successful capital raise earlier this year.
“Welcoming Alvan to Hometime is a tremendous boost for us. His deep understanding of the local market and his impressive track record align perfectly with our growth objectives. His arrival marks the completion of our executive leadership team, which has expanded to include new roles in marketing, finance, and HR.”
Billy Crock, CEO and cofounder of Hometime
Yong expressed his enthusiasm for joining Hometime, describing the move as a return to familiar territory. He reminisced about his first encounter with Hometime co-founders Dave Thompson and Billy Crock back in 2018 at the Airbnb Sydney office, noting that he thought Hometime would make a fantastic investment. Their approach to scaling the operationally intensive aspects of short-term rentals through innovative technology, streamlined processes, and deep expertise was incredibly impressive. What stood out even more was their ability to consistently maintain high-quality service across their properties, as evidenced by excellent guest reviews on multiple platforms. When the opportunity arose to join Hometime and be a part of this dynamic and forward-thinking team, the decision was clear and straightforward for him. He is excited to contribute to the company’s ongoing success and growth.
