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Another Uber executive quits but losses improve | Another Uber executive quits but losses improve |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Uber's head of finance, Gautam Gupta, is leaving the company, the third senior executive the ride hailing firm has lost this week. | |
Uber said losses narrowed in the first three months of 2017 to $708m (£549m) from $991m in the previous quarter. | Uber said losses narrowed in the first three months of 2017 to $708m (£549m) from $991m in the previous quarter. |
The company does not report financial results publicly, but said it was "on a good trajectory towards profitability". | The company does not report financial results publicly, but said it was "on a good trajectory towards profitability". |
In recent months Uber has been shaken by scandals, high-profile sackings and allegations of sexism. | |
Mr Gupta, who has been head of strategic finance since 2015, will leave next month to join another start-up in San Francisco. | |
Uber chief executive and co-founder Travis Kalanick said: "Gautam is a world-class financial talent. Over the last four years, he has been indispensible in helping build Uber from an idea into the business it is today." | Uber chief executive and co-founder Travis Kalanick said: "Gautam is a world-class financial talent. Over the last four years, he has been indispensible in helping build Uber from an idea into the business it is today." |
Uber is now looking for a chief financial officer who it is thought will help steer the company towards a flotation on the stock market in the next two years. | Uber is now looking for a chief financial officer who it is thought will help steer the company towards a flotation on the stock market in the next two years. |
Growing fast | Growing fast |
Uber is still growing fast, although it has never made a full-year profit. | Uber is still growing fast, although it has never made a full-year profit. |
In the first three months of the year, revenue rose 18% from the previous quarter to $3.4bn. In 2016, the company carried 700 million passengers in more than 70 countries, booked $20bn in rides and generated $6.8bn in net revenues. | In the first three months of the year, revenue rose 18% from the previous quarter to $3.4bn. In 2016, the company carried 700 million passengers in more than 70 countries, booked $20bn in rides and generated $6.8bn in net revenues. |
However, it has also raised what is estimated to be more venture capital than any start-up in history, some $11bn, and it needs to prove to its private investors that it can turn a profit. | However, it has also raised what is estimated to be more venture capital than any start-up in history, some $11bn, and it needs to prove to its private investors that it can turn a profit. |
Meanwhile, the company has been haemorrhaging senior executives since the beginning of the year. | Meanwhile, the company has been haemorrhaging senior executives since the beginning of the year. |
New York general manager, Josh Mohrer, and the head of Uber's self-driving unit, Anthony Levandowski, both left this week. | New York general manager, Josh Mohrer, and the head of Uber's self-driving unit, Anthony Levandowski, both left this week. |
Mohrer is credited with building Uber in New York city from its early beginnings. He is leaving for a job at Tusk Ventures, which advises start-up businesses on regulatory issues. | Mohrer is credited with building Uber in New York city from its early beginnings. He is leaving for a job at Tusk Ventures, which advises start-up businesses on regulatory issues. |
Allegations | Allegations |
Mr Levandowski, who was considered critical in the development of Uber's self-drive projects, was fired for declining to testify in the lawsuit that Google owner Alphabet has brought against Uber. | |
The case involves the alleged theft of self-drive technology from an Alphabet subsidiary. | |
Other high-profile departures include vice-president of product Ed Baker; Uber president Jeff Jones; vice-president of engineering Amit Singhal; policy and communications chief Rachel Whetstone - a Briton; and the head of mapping, Brian McClendon. | |
Uber has also hired former US attorney-general Eric Holder and Tammy Albarran, both partners at the law firm Covington & Burling, to conduct a review of sexual harassment claims made by a former employee. | |
In March, Mr Kalanick was forced to apologise after a video emerged of him swearing at one of the company's drivers. | In March, Mr Kalanick was forced to apologise after a video emerged of him swearing at one of the company's drivers. |
And at the end of last month, Mr Kalanick was struck by personal tragedy when his mother died in a boating accident near Fresno, California. His father, who was also on the boat, was seriously injured. | And at the end of last month, Mr Kalanick was struck by personal tragedy when his mother died in a boating accident near Fresno, California. His father, who was also on the boat, was seriously injured. |
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