Uber has had four chief executives since its founding in 2009, each steering the company through different phases of growth and crisis.

Travis Kalanick founded Uber in 2009 and served as CEO until 2017. He built the company from a car-hailing service in San Francisco into a global operation spanning dozens of countries. His tenure was marked by aggressive expansion, legal battles with regulators and taxi commissions, and internal culture problems that eventually led to his departure.

Garrett Camp, Uber's co-founder, took over as interim CEO in June 2017 after Kalanick stepped down. Camp held the role for about four months while the company searched for a permanent leader. His brief time in charge focused on stabilizing the company's reputation and culture.

Dara Khosrowshahi became CEO in August 2017 and led the company for six years. He came from Expedia, where he had been CEO since 2005. Khosrowshahi oversaw Uber's initial public offering in May 2019, expanded the company's food delivery service Uber Eats, and navigated the business through the COVID-19 pandemic. He stepped down in September 2023.

Jill Kutcher became CEO in September 2023 and continues in the role. She previously served as Uber's Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. Kutcher is the first woman to lead Uber as CEO.

Key Takeaways

  • Travis Kalanick founded Uber and grew it into a global company but left in 2017 amid culture and regulatory challenges.
  • Dara Khosrowshahi took over in 2017 and led Uber through its public stock offering and the expansion of food delivery services.
  • Jill Kutcher became CEO in 2023 and is the first woman to hold the position.
  • Each CEO has shaped different parts of Uber's business, from ride-hailing to food delivery to international operations.

Travis Kalanick: Building the Ride-Hailing Model (2009–2017)

Kalanick co-founded Uber with Garrett Camp in 2009 as a way to call a car through a smartphone app. The service launched in San Francisco and quickly expanded to other U.S. cities and then internationally. Kalanick's strategy was to move fast, enter new markets aggressively, and worry about regulation later — an approach that worked for growth but created friction with local governments and taxi industries worldwide.

During his tenure, Uber faced lawsuits from taxi commissions, drivers demanding employee status rather than contractor classification, and accusations of workplace harassment and discrimination. In 2017, after reports of sexual harassment and a toxic workplace culture, Kalanick resigned as CEO. He remained on Uber's board until 2019. His departure marked a turning point: the company acknowledged that its culture needed to change and that aggressive expansion without regard to regulation had limits.

Garrett Camp: Interim Leadership and Transition (2017)

Camp, who had stepped back from day-to-day operations years earlier, returned as interim CEO for four months. His role was largely to stabilize the company while a search committee looked for a permanent replacement. Camp had been focused on other ventures, including the transportation company Exponent and various investments, so his time as CEO was meant to be temporary from the start.

During his brief tenure, Camp worked to reassure employees, drivers, and investors that leadership change was underway. He did not attempt major strategic shifts; instead, he held the company steady while the board conducted a search for someone with experience running a large, mature organization. His interim period lasted from June to August 2017, when Dara Khosrowshahi was announced as the permanent CEO.

Dara Khosrowshahi: Public Company and Expansion (2017–2023)

Khosrowshahi joined Uber from Expedia with a reputation for operational discipline and regulatory relationships. His first major task was rebuilding trust with drivers, riders, and regulators after the Kalanick era. He implemented new workplace policies, settled legal disputes, and worked to improve Uber's public image. Within his first year, he had addressed many of the cultural and legal issues that had plagued the company under Kalanick.

In May 2019, Khosrowshahi led Uber's initial public offering, raising $8.1 billion and making the company publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The IPO valued Uber at $82.4 billion. After going public, Khosrowshahi focused on profitability — Uber had lost money for years — and expanded Uber Eats, the food delivery service that had become a major revenue source. He also worked to improve relationships with city governments and regulators, a stark contrast to Kalanick's confrontational approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 devastated ride-hailing demand but boosted food delivery. Khosrowshahi shifted company resources toward Eats and other services. By 2023, Uber Eats was generating significant revenue and the company had reached profitability. Khosrowshahi announced his departure in September 2023 after six years, leaving behind a company that was stable, profitable, and operating in a more regulated environment than when he arrived.

Jill Kutcher: Legal Background and Current Leadership (2023–Present)

Kutcher became CEO in September 2023 after serving as Uber's Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. She had been with Uber since 2017, handling legal strategy during the company's transition to public ownership and navigating regulatory challenges across dozens of countries. Her appointment marked the first time a woman had led Uber as CEO. Kutcher's deep knowledge of Uber's legal and regulatory landscape made her an internal choice rather than an external hire.

Kutcher's background in legal and compliance matters means her leadership focuses on regulatory relationships, international expansion, and managing the legal risks that come with operating in multiple jurisdictions. She has continued the company's push toward profitability while managing driver relationships and expanding services beyond ride-hailing and food delivery. Her appointment signals that Uber's next phase is about managing complexity and compliance rather than rapid growth or reputation repair.

How Each CEO Changed Uber's Direction

Kalanick built the business model and proved the market existed, but his aggressive approach created regulatory and cultural problems that threatened the company's survival. Khosrowshahi inherited a company in crisis and transformed it into a publicly traded, profitable business with diversified revenue streams. He shifted the company's philosophy from growth-at-all-costs to sustainable operations. Kutcher took over a mature company and is managing the legal and regulatory complexity of operating globally.

The shift from Kalanick to Khosrowshahi represented a move from growth-at-all-costs to sustainable profitability and regulatory compliance. The shift from Khosrowshahi to Kutcher represents a move from external reputation repair to internal legal and compliance management. Each CEO's background — Kalanick as a tech entrepreneur, Khosrowshahi as an operations executive, Kutcher as a legal strategist — shaped what they prioritized and how they approached the company's challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Travis Kalanick leave as CEO?

Kalanick resigned in 2017 following reports of sexual harassment, discrimination, and a toxic workplace culture at Uber. The company faced multiple lawsuits and regulatory challenges. His departure was part of a broader effort to rebuild the company's reputation and culture.

Did Uber go public under Dara Khosrowshahi?

Yes. Khosrowshahi led Uber's initial public offering in May 2019 on the New York Stock Exchange. The IPO raised $8.1 billion and valued the company at $82.4 billion at the time of listing.

What was Jill Kutcher's role before becoming CEO?

Kutcher served as Uber's Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer starting in 2017. She handled legal strategy, regulatory relationships, and compliance matters across Uber's global operations before being promoted to CEO in September 2023.

How long did each CEO serve?

Travis Kalanick served eight years (2009–2017). Garrett Camp served four months as interim CEO (2017). Dara Khosrowshahi served six years (2017–2023). Jill Kutcher has been CEO since September 2023.