Zuhairah Scott Washington

Zuhairah Scott Washington is a senior technology executive, public company board director, and angel investor with a track record of delivering billion-dollar outcomes across a range of businesses, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. She has scaled four multi-billion-dollar companies and brings more than 20 years of business experience, including executive roles as a senior vice president at Expedia Group, where she led a 1,000-person global team responsible for steering billions in revenue.

Washington’s career spans digital transformation and business model innovation across sectors such as consumer technology, hospitality, travel, real estate, retail, fintech, transportation, logistics, and e-commerce marketplaces. As an early executive at Uber, Washington grew businesses from startup to scale, managed one of the top five U.S. markets with full people management and P&L responsibility, and led the launches of uberPOOL and uberEATS. At Uber, she led the company’s fifth largest U.S. market and contributed to its financial growth, reaching a $1 billion annual run rate within three years. She later joined Expedia Group as senior vice president and general manager of Strategic Partners, Lodging and Vacation Rentals, leading a global team of more than 250 and overseeing billions in revenue.

Washington subsequently served as CEO of Otrium, a global sustainable fashion marketplace recognized as one of the Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company magazine. As CEO, she oversaw global operations across 19 European markets and the U.S., launching and growing the U.S. business by 1,250 percent, while Otrium’s European business increased revenue by 40 percent and achieved its first full month of break-even EBITDA. As one of the few African-American female CEOs in technology leading a global fashion marketplace, Washington built Otrium’s next phase with an executive leadership team that was 40 percent women.

In addition to her operational roles, Washington serves as a public company board director, currently on the board of Olo, the leading on-demand e-commerce platform for the restaurant industry. She has been recognized by Savoy Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America and by Washington Business Journal as one of the Top 40 Under 40 executives in the region. Washington has been featured in publications and platforms such as Harvard Business Review, NPR, Forbes, and MSNBC.

Washington is also a keynote speaker whose talks—including "The Whole Executive," "Sustainability in Style," "Quiet Power," and "Legacy Leadership"—draw on her experience at the intersection of ambition, authenticity, and impact. "The Whole Executive" encourages leaders to bring their full selves to work, balancing ambition with authenticity; "Sustainability in Style" addresses the intersection of business success and environmental responsibility; and "Quiet Power" explores how influence can be exercised with empathy and quiet strength.

Washington earned her Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, respectively, and her Bachelor of Arts from UCLA magna cum laude.