DETROIT (AP) – Uber seeks a strong manager who can repair a broken image, juggle multiple lawsuits and government investigations, develop and nurture a new corporate culture and lead a successful IPO.
That’s a lot for potential candidates to consider. Uber needs a new leader after former CEO and company founder Travis Kalanick resigned Tuesday night under pressure from Uber’s board and investors. A series of missteps, from allegations of stealing technology to a profanity-laced outburst that was caught on film by an Uber driver, led to Kalanick’s resignation.
Some experts believe Uber will look for an outsider with turnaround experience. Others point out that insiders may best know what is needed to fix Uber and not everyone at the company was tainted by Kalanick’s behavior. They also think the board will strongly consider a female candidate, given recent criticism of Uber’s lack of diversity.
At least two prominent female executives have already taken their names out of the running: Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and Arianna Huffington, a current member of Uber’s board.
Sandberg has no plans to leave her current job, a person close to her told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Sandberg has not publicly weighed in yet. Huffington “has no interest in the CEO role,” according to Monica Lee, a spokeswoman for Huffington’s current company, Thrive Global.