2017 has been a particularly difficult year for the transportation giant, Uber with allegations about the company’s cultural issues, discrimination on the basis of gender, bribery lawsuits, trade secret leaks and sexual harassment charges, etc. Though the business hasn’t been greatly affected, it’s essential that the leading ride-hailing company gets an image makeover soon. The board is hoping that this makeover happens under the leadership of Dara Khosrowshahi. He will be replacing co-founder and ex-Ceo Travis Kalanick who resigned in June under pressure from Uber’s key stakeholders.
Dara Khosrowshahi - The right man for the job
An Iranian-American business tycoon, Dara Khosrowshahi brings a ton of experience and expertise from his previous successful ventures. He emigrated to the United States of America at the age of nine, leaving Iran just before the Iranian Revolution in 1978.
Dara Khosrowshahi became the CEO of the online travel company - Expedia in 2005. Under his reign, the travel company expanded its business boundaries to firmly establish itself in more than 60 countries through Expedia, Hotels.com and also online travel communities such as TripAdvisor.com. The gross value of their business quadrupled through huge volumes of travel and hotel bookings. At Expedia, his pay last year was $2.5m, which fluctuated due to stock options and awards.
In 2015, his compensation was more than $94m, the BBC reports.
Though Dara hasn’t confirmed the details of the offer received from Uber, his position as Uber’s CEO has been cemented with an email, which was published on the company website. The contents on the website also stated that he would be the best person to lead Uber into the future.
Dara Khosrowshahi mentioned in his interviews that despite the tumultuous past six months that Uber has endured, he looks at this as a once in a lifetime opportunity and challenge. He feels that it is privileged to helm Uber and lead it to glory.
Taking on new challenges and charting out bigger plans
After confirming the news about taking on the CEO’s role at Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi also stated that he was excited about heading the company that is redefining the entire transportation industry.
He admitted the fact that difficulties, complexities, and challenges are bound to be a part and parcel of the new role and that they make the venture all the more fun. He also clarified that he was in it to get his hands dirty, build a team and do something that people will look back on with a lot of satisfaction.
Dara’s immediate challenge would be to enhance the company’s tarnished brand image. The company is also currently cooperating with a US probe into probable bribery lawsuits and battling several controversies, clashes, and bans in different countries.
