Air Up has appointed Cristina Kenz as chief executive officer as the scent-based hydration brand looks to expand its global retail presence and and strengthen its direct-to-consumer business.

Kenz, who previously served as chairwoman of the board, succeeds outgoing CEO Chris Hauth, who led the company through its initial growth phase. Hauth will remain connected to the business as an investor.

As part of the leadership changes, Kenz has appointed Sina Neubrandt as chief marketing officer. Neubrandt will lead Air Up’s marketing strategy, with a focus on consumer storytelling, culture-led campaigns and global brand-building.

The company said the appointments mark a shift from its early scale-up phase towards becoming a more established omnichannel consumer business. Under Kenz’s leadership, Air Up plans to accelerate growth across direct-to-consumer channels and physical retail, while continuing to develop its drinking hardware and scent pod range.

The brand is also preparing for major product innovations linked to new consumption occasions in 2027.

Founded on the idea that water can feel flavoured without adding sugar, sweeteners or artificial additives, Air Up uses retronasal olfaction to deliver perceived taste through scent. Its Scentaste drinking system allows consumers to drink plain water while experiencing flavour through scented pods.

Kenz stepped into the CEO role in April, bringing experience from senior roles at PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz and Danone. Her background spans commercial scaling, international growth, innovation, consumer-led transformation and ESG-focused business change.

Kenz said: “Having spent months guiding the business as chairwoman, I have seen the incredible power of Air Up’s technology firsthand. Our next frontier is clear: we are going to build a true omnichannel powerhouse.

“By aggressively accelerating our physical retail footprint while matching it with the agility of our DTC ecosystem, we will make healthy hydration with taste by scent universally accessible. I am absolutely thrilled to appoint Sina to our C-suite. Her brilliant background in culture-shaping storytelling at Adidas and Absolut makes her the perfect leader to amplify our consumer reach as we scale new product models and pioneer new categories for the brand.”