Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that’s taken over our lives.
The committee members go all the way up to here.
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How many senior executives do you need to change a light bulb?
Oh, no. You need a change agent for that.
And so it is that Uber appears to have opted for a radical change when it comes to running the company. After the (perhaps temporary) departure of CEO Travis Kalanick, some wondered who on earth would now be in charge.
It seems that quite a few people are.
As Yahoo Finance reports, Uber is now being run by a baker’s dozen plus one. Yes, a 14-person committee comprised of those who used to report directly to Kalanick.
Given that the company currently doesn’t enjoy a CFO, a COO, a senior vice president of engineering, a general counsel and a whole host of other senior executives, it’s perhaps surprising that there are as many as 14 left to be trusted with managing.
Uber didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. However, those reportedly now in charge include CTO Thuan Pham, Chief Human Resources Officer Liane Hornsey, Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan and three regional general managers.
Oddly, the newly hired SVP of leadership and strategy, Frances Frei, hasn’t been put in sole charge of, well, leadership.
Perhaps this is a temporary measure, one that might see an internal candidate rise to the fore.
One can conceive that each senior executive will continue to manage in their area of expertise. Some will wonder, however, whether big decisions will have to be taken by committee. There might surely be a little (un)friendly competition among any committee members who harbor greater ambitions.
Historically, committees haven’t been entirely successful in driving businesses forward. They’re excellent, though, when it comes to local councils and garden fêtes, I understand.
Given the precipitous nature of all the drama and scandals in which Uber mired itself, it’s hard to imagine what else could have been done.
However, given that some members of this committee — Frei, for example — are relatively new, there’s surely no way of knowing if everyone will even get on.
First, there were the brave 14. And then there were…?