Grubhub

Grubhub Holdings has opened its first DC lobbying office, which will initially handle labor issues pertaining to the food delivery service.

Ashley De Smeth, who served in the Obama White House as an inter-agency liaison, heads the post as director of federal affairs.

Prior to Grubhub, De Smeth was head of PA & policy communications at Postmates, communications director for the American Federation of Government Employees and director of strategic communications & PA at the National League of Cities.

Dominic Sanchez, a one-time staffer to Democratic Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Chris Van Hollen (MD), backstops De Smeth.

Grubhub is part of Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.

The Dutch company acquired Grubhub in 2020 via an all-stock deal worth $7.3B, creating the world’s biggest food delivery service operation.