As of early this morning, Uber’s CEO Travis Kalanick is out.
It’s the latest chapter in what has become perhaps the most enticing tech story of the year that, many might argue, begins with the bombshell letter released by Susan Fowler that discusses rampant sexism inside Uber.
Things started to sour earlier this year, however. Here’s how it all went down:
- December 14: Reports reveal Kalanick is joining Trump’s business advisory board
- February 20: Uber calls for an internal investigation, known as the “Holder investigation” after Eric Holder, who’s leading it.
- February 23: Alphabet’s Waymo unit files a lawsuit against Uber claiming that a former Waymo employee, Anthony Levandowski, stole secrets related to autonomous vehicle technology.
- February 28 Travis Kalanick apologizes after he’s caught on film arguing with an Uber driver Fawsi Kamel about Uber’s new plans to lower fares. “Some people don’t like to take responsibility for their own s—. They blame everything in their life on somebody else. Good luck,” Kalanick told his driver.
- March 3: The New York Times reveals that Uber has been using a feature named “Greyball” that showed suspected city officials a fake version of the app that would deny them a ride. This was used by Uber to operate in areas where its service was deemed illegal without being caught.
Exodus followed by more scandal
- March 3: On the same day, Uber vice president of product and growth and self-driving senior engineer Charlie Miller leaves the company.
- March 8: AI labs director Gary Marcus leaves the company
- March 16: Self-driving director Raffi Krikorian leaves.
- March 19: Uber president Jeff Jones departs the company.
- March 20: Uber’s vice president of maps and business platforms, Brian McClendon, leaves.
- March 24: Gabi Holzwarth, who dated Kalanick for several years, revealed to The Information that Uber executives traveled to Seoul in 2014 and visited an escort bar. The employee, a female marketing executive, said she felt Uber tried to silence her complaints.
- May 15: Judge blocks Uber’s Anthony Levandowski from working on any technology related to LIDAR, which is key to the development of Uber’s autonomous vehicles.
- May 30: Uber fires Levandowski, stating that he didn’t fully cooperate with the court or with helping Uber to prove its case.
- June 8: Bombshell letter reveals the type of boss Travis Kalanick was. In the letter, dated 2013, Kalanick discusses a company trip to Miami and lays out ground rules for consensual employee sex practices. “Have a great f–king time,” he says.
- June 13: The Holder report is released and more than 20 staff members were fired. 47 recommendations are made to help Uber improve its values and workplace environment. Kalanick, who recently lost his mother, decides to step away from the company. Uber says his duties will be replaced by an independent chair.
- June 14: United states Federal Trade Commission begins looking into Uber’s privacy practices, possibly digging deeper into the company’s “god view” tool and other concerns, according to Recode.
- June 15: A rape victim filed a lawsuit against Uber after she found out that executives had taken her medical records. The 26-year old woman says she was raped while riding in an Uber in India in 2014.
- June 21: founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick resigned. “I love Uber more than anything in the world and at this difficult moment in my personal life I have accepted the investors request to step aside so that Uber can go back to building rather than be distracted with another fight,” Kalanick said in a statement obtained by The New York Times.
Source: Tech CNBC
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