When the board of the “ride-sharing” app Uber went looking for a new CEO, it wasn’t so much hunting for a successor to Travis Kalanick as an antidote. The company’s co-founder was forced in June to take an indefinite leave of absence, but even that wasn’t enough to satisfy some investors. They wanted him out. So he left.
The new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, has a daunting in-tray. First, there’s a legal dispute with Waymo, formerly Google’s self-driving car unit, which alleges that a former Google engineer stole research before ultimately quitting to join Uber. (The man involved has invoked his US Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination; the case is expected to reach court later this year.) Then there are the ongoing regulatory battles around the world, as Uber claims it is part of the “sharing economy”, rather than a minicab service with employees and all the responsibilities that come with that.
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