Rob Thorpe
Rob Thorpe is the Chief Operating Officer at The Jet, a startup luxury motorcoach service operating between DC and New York that features the world’s first motion-canceling passenger seat - the “HoverSeat™”. Conceived from the outset as a hospitality business on wheels, The Jet has made a splash in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on Good Morning America among others. As a startup COO, Rob wears many hats, but is principally concerned with the smooth daily running of the company, revenue management, growth strategy, and the guest experience.
Previously, Rob was the opening GM at Avo, a Series B grocery delivery company in NYC, and before that co-founder of a short-lived online wholesale marketplace for gourmet foods. This all follows 18 amazing years in the British Royal Marine Commandos, during which time Rob deployed extensively around the world with a focus on operations design and strategic planning.
He is a faculty advisor to Mercy College’s Guest Experience Certificate Program and a proud holder of an Advanced Certificate in Hospitality Management and Hotel Revenue Management from e-Cornell. He studied corporate finance at Columbia and has a masters in International Politics from St. Andrews University and Sciences Po, Paris. Married with two young daughters, he enjoys family walks, skiing, open water swimming, and cooking.