US satellite radio and online broadcaster SiriusXM has hired veteran in-house lawyer Richard Baer as general counsel, replacing Patrick Donnelly who is retiring in April.

Baer comes out of retirement himself to take on the role, having stepped down as chief legal officer at short-term letting company Airbnb back in 2023. At SiriusXM, Baer will provide legal and business advice. He takes up his new role on 3 March.

New York-based SiriusXM provides satellite radio and online radio services, and owns music streaming platform Pandora.

Jennifer Witz, CEO of Sirius, said: “We are excited to bring Rich on board and to benefit from his more than two decades of experience and expertise as a senior leader at a variety of complex businesses. I’m confident that his ability to navigate legal issues and balance the needs of a business will enable him to succeed here at SiriusXM. I look forward to working closely with him and benefitting from his perspectives and insights as we execute our strategic plans and shape the future of our company.”

Baer had retired after four years at Airbnb, having helped steer the company through an IPO and the pandemic. He previously spent six years at Liberty Media as CLO, which previously owned SiriusXM before completing a spin-out last year. He was also CLO at UnitedHealth Group and GC at Qwest Communications.

Prior to his in-house career, he was litigation chair at Sherman & Howard for eight years and a litigation associate at legacy firm Rosenman & Colin for four years. He started his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn back in 1983.

Baer said: “As a long-time listener, I could not be more excited to be joining SiriusXM. I look forward to working alongside Jennifer and the rest of my colleagues to bolster the company’s legal, compliance, governance and operational foundation as we work to achieve our strategic priorities and drive the business forward.”

Donnelly, meantime, steps down as GC after more than 26 years with the company, having joined in 1998 from ITT where he was deputy GC. Prior to that he worked in private practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Witz said: “On behalf of everyone at SiriusXM, I want to thank Pat for his dedication, support and unwavering commitment to SiriusXM. Over his nearly 27 years with the company, few people have made a more indelible mark on SiriusXM than Pat. We wish him well in his very well-deserved retirement.”

Airbnb replaced Baer in November 2023 with O’Melveny & Myers partner Ron Klain, who was also a former chief of staff to then President Joe Biden.