---
title: "Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Will Hire a COO to “Partner” With Him"
description: "The embattled executive recently admitted he needs leadership help—now he's listed some names of potential wish-list candidates."
date: "2017-03-07"
modified: "2017-03-07"
authors:
  - name: "Josh Condon"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/josh-condon"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/8172/uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-will-hire-a-coo-to-partner-with-him"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "#DeleteUber"
  - "Scandal"
  - "Travis Kalanick"
  - "Uber"
---

# Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Will Hire a COO to “Partner” With Him

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/02/gettyimages-543406810-e1486078466866.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Following a very bad series of public relations missteps (and worse) by both his company and himself—including [the painful #DeleteUber reaction](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/7351/uber-lost-200000-users-in-deleteuber-protest>) to the company's seemingly crass attempt to capitalize on President Trump's first travel ban and his own [caught-on-video moment condescending to an Uber driver](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/7983/watch-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-be-a-massive-dick-to-his-uber-driver>)—Uber CEO Travis Kalanick admitted [he needed some leadership help](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/7987/uber-ceo-kalanick-finally-admits-he-needs-leadership-help>). Today, he formally announced to staff at the company's San Francisco headquarters that the search for a chief operating officer was on, and some pretty hefty names were on the wish list.

Kalanick, in a release, said: "This morning I told the Uber team that we're actively looking for a Chief Operating Officer: a peer who can partner with me to write the next chapter in our journey."

## Female Exec Preferred

Among the names bandied about for the number-two slot, [according to recode](<https://www.recode.net/2017/3/7/14843680/kara-swisher-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-coo-executive-recruiter>): President of CVS Pharmacy and Executive Vice President of CVS Health Helena Foulkes, and former Disney COO Tom Staggs. Kara Swisher of recode reports that sources say a female executive is preferred, which should not be surprising, considering Uber is in the middle of some soul-searching—and and internal investigation—stemming from [allegations of rampant sexism and sexual harassment](<https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber>) within the company.

A search firm has reportedly been hired, but no confirmation yet of who will lead the charge.

Go read Kara Swisher's [in-depth report here](<https://www.recode.net/2017/3/7/14843680/kara-swisher-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-coo-executive-recruiter>).

## Author
Josh is a former editor at *Details*, *Road & Track*, and *MSN Autos*, and has contributed about a variety of topics to publications including *The New York Times*, *Men’s Journal*, *Automobile* and *Men’s Fitness*.

### Author social links