This article is more than 1 year old

Uber president quits, says company's values inconsistent with his own leadership style

Jeff Jones jumps joins #deleteuber movement

Uber's president Jeff Jones has joined the #deleteuber movement because he's come to realise the company's values aren't compatible with his own.

Jones told Recode he “...joined Uber because of its Mission, and the challenge to build global capabilities that would help the company mature and thrive long-term.”

“It is now clear, however, that the beliefs and approach to leadership that have guided my career are inconsistent with what I saw and experienced at Uber, and I can no longer continue as president of the ride sharing business.”

He signed off by saying the company has “thousands of amazing people at the company” and he wishes everyone at the company well.

But clearly Jones doesn't think his way of doing things is going to be respected at Uber, which belligerently enters markets in full knowledge its activities flout local law, sabotages regulators' efforts to police it, stands accused of turning a blind eye to institutional sexism and of stealing Google's autonomous car plans. It also lies about drivers' earnings and fights against workers organising.

We could go on but you get the picture: Uber pushes the limits so much it's even decided to hire a COO to help its senior executives avoid future excesses.

Jones was hired to give the company marketing expertise. A former chief marketing officer of retailer Target and executive veep of global marketing for apparel concern Gap, he was brought in get the ride-sharing-with-harassment-on-the-side company growing beyond early adopters. Uber needs to grow: it loses money and has, of late, bled customers too as the #deleteuber movement first sprang up over its support for the Trump administration and then gathered pace as sexism claims emerged.

Ironically, Jones' marketing expertise saw him reveal his departure and the rationale for it to the media before Uber was able to massage his departure. Jones indication that tactics and ethos that fuelled his career encountered resistance at Uber probably isn't what the company hoped he would do for its image.

Meanwhile, Brian McClendon, vice president of maps and business platform at Uber, plans to quit at the end of the month. ®

More about

More about

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like