Uber’s chief executive Travis Kalanick to go on leave

Move comes in wake of report on sexual harassment at company

Travis Kalanick’s decision to step aside as CEO of Uber follows a time of crisis that has profoundly shaken Silicon Valley’s most valuable private company and led to the departure of many top executives.

Uber's chief executive Travis Kalanick has decided to go on leave, after a series of controversies as well as a personal tragedy due to a death in his family.

Mr Kalanick’s hard-driving style has for years defined the controversial transportation company, which has grown to a valuation of $68 billion while earning a reputation for breaking the rules and doing whatever it takes to achieve growth.

The decision came as Uber released a 13-page report drafted by Covington & Burling following allegations of sexual harassment at the company.

“Recent events have brought home for me that people are more important than work, and that I need to take some time off of the day-to-day to grieve my mother, whom I buried on Friday, to reflect, to work on myself, and to focus on building out a world-class leadership team,” Mr Kalanick said in a memo to Uber’s staff.

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His decision to step aside follows a time of crisis that has profoundly shaken Silicon Valley’s most valuable private company and led to the departure of many top executives.

- Copyright The Financial Times Ltd