Former Facebook general counsel to join Etsy

Brooklyn, New York-based Etsy has recruited Colin Stretch as chief legal officer and corporate secretary, effective February 14.

Stretch’s experience includes being general counsel of Facebook (now Meta Platforms) between 2013 and 2019, during which time he led the company’s legal, compliance and corporate legal affairs functions.

After leaving Facebook, he spent two years as leader-in-residence at Columbia University Law School’s Reuben Mark Initiative for Organizational Character & Leadership and, most recently, he was of counsel at law firm Latham & Watkins.

Earlier in his career, Stretch clerked for US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and Judge Laurence Silberman on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. He was also a member of the honors program in the antitrust division of the US Department of Justice.

Stretch will report to Etsy CEO Josh Silverman and will be a member of the company’s executive team.

Silverman says in a statement: ‘We are thrilled to welcome Colin to Etsy. He has a deep commitment to our mission of economic empowerment, and is both a world-class lawyer and a world-class leader. Colin’s extensive experience will be critical to Etsy’s efforts to ensure we remain a safe and trusted marketplace, broaden our reach across all our brands and advocate for microbusinesses around the world.’