The newly appointed CEO of Uber Technologies Inc, Dara Khosrowshahi, officially spoke to the company's employees on Wednesday. The new CEO of the ride-hailing company said that it plans to change the company's culture. What's more, he plans to take it public in 18-36 months.
Khosrowshahi led the American travel-booking website, Expedia Inc, for more than a decade. He made these remarks when he formally introduced himself to Uber’s workforce during a private meeting among staff members at the company's headquarters in San Francisco.
His many plans for the company include the rebuilding of Uber's culture, as well as growing its market share. He also sees the potential of the company to conduct an IPO at least 18 months from now. All these were from the reports given by the attendees of the meeting. The news regarding the potential IPO isn't surprising as it's common for companies that are backed by venture capitalists to go public after a certain period of time.
According to the company's communications team, Khosrowshahi told Uber employees that the company needs to change.
"What may have gotten us to where we are today won't be the reason that will propel us to the next level," said the new CEO.
In Khosrowshahi's view, he thinks that Uber needs to stabilize itself and take "big shots." Khosrowshahi's appointment came as the company tried tirelessly to recover from many crises, which reached a climax during the resignation of Travis Kalanick, the former CEO, in June. Khosrowshahi's appointment is also seen as a critical step towards filling the gaping hole in the company's top management. As of the moment, the company still has no head of engineering, general counsel, or chief financial officer.
In his first ever meeting with the employees of Uber, Khosrowshahi said that he is on the lookout for new talent, especially a CFO (Chief Financial Officer). He's also in the search for a competent chairman to assist him in running the board.
Kalanick attended the staff meeting on Wednesday and he welcomed his replacement. According to him, casting a vote to have a new CEO was a huge moment for him. He also said he could not be any happier to pass on the torch to a very inspiring leader. He even complimented the new CEO's deep passion and desire for team building.
The board of the company appointed Khosrowshahi on Sunday. The two other finalists, the chairman of GE and the chief of HP, failed to win the board over. In an interview on Tuesday, the newly appointed CEO suggested that he will prioritize the diversity issues of Uber. He's optimistic about the prospects of Uber despite the challenges that it currently faces.
"Uber is among the few companies that are redefining the transportation industry on a global scale," he said. "Being a part of Uber's story is very interesting and a real privilege."
