---
title: "No, Travis Kalanick Won’t Return As Uber CEO, Co-Founder Says"
description: "Uber board member and co-creator Garrett Camp told employees as much in an email on Monday."
date: "2017-08-08"
modified: "2017-08-08"
authors:
  - name: "Will Sabel Courtney"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/will-sabel-courtney"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/13325/no-travis-kalanick-wont-return-as-uber-ceo-co-founder-says"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "ceo"
  - "garrett camp"
  - "Silicon Valley"
  - "Travis Kalanick"
  - "Uber"
---

# No, Travis Kalanick Won’t Return As Uber CEO, Co-Founder Says

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/08/kalanick-hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

In the weeks since Uber's embattled co-founder [Travis Kalanick](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/7983/watch-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-be-a-massive-dick-to-his-uber-driver>) ousted himself from the CEO spot at the company, rumors have run rampant that the company's former leader was planning some sort of attempt to mount a return to the top spot. But according to Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, Kalanick won't be retaking the ride-hailing company's Iron Throne anytime soon.

In an email to Uber employees sent Monday and [obtained by the tech site *Recode*](<https://www.recode.net/2017/8/7/16108778/garrett-camp-uber-travis-kalanick-ceo>), Camp vowed that the flurry of media reports claiming Kalanick was intended to triumphantly grab his old job back—or, a[s the former C-E-Bro reportedly put it, that he was "Steve Jobs-ing it"](<https://www.recode.net/2017/7/30/16066332/uber-ceo-search-travis-kalanick-meg-whitman-steve-jobs-board>)—was just gossip.

"Despite rumors I’m sure you’ve seen in the news, Travis is not returning as CEO," Camp said in the email. "We are committed to hiring a new world-class CEO to lead Uber."

"It’s time for a new chapter," he reportedly wrote.

Still, Uber has struggled to find a replacement for [Kalanick, who stepped down in June](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/11725/uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-resigns>) after a group of investors reportedly insisted he do so in the wake of a series of scandals culminating in a somewhat damning report from former attorney general Eric Holder. Hewlett-Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman was considered a leading candidate for the job for some time, until [she announced on Twitter in late July](<https://twitter.com/MegWhitman/status/890754773456220161>) that she was not in contention.

While Uber's board struggles to find a new captain to help right the ship, Kalanick—who maintains a position on said board—reportedly continues to be an obstacle in the search, a fact which appears to have helped prompt rumors that he viewed himself as the once and future king of his Silicon Valley start-up.

Returning to the top spot might make Kalanick feel better, but it might not help out the embattled company's image—or bottom line. On Monday, investment firm Benchmark—which has a member on Uber's board—said [the ride-hailing company's current valuation of around $60 billion could rise to more than $100 billion](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/13301/uber-could-soon-be-worth-more-than-100-billion-investment-firm-says>)...but it only made the announcement after Camp reminded the world Kalanick wasn't going to retake the reins.

## Author
Will is the former managing editor of *RIDES Magazine* and the former online editor for *0-60 Magazine*. He has worked for *Time Out New York* and *Rolling Stone*, and was the creator of *College Cars Online*, the first automotive blog specifically targeted at college students and young professionals.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/willsabelcourtney>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/willscourtney>)