Uber Legal Chief Said to Depart as CEO Sets New Course

Dara Khosrowshahi, the new CEO at Uber, laid out an initial set of plans during a staff meeting to get the troubled ride-hailing company back on course, according to Bloomberg.

He said his top priority was hiring a chief financial officer who can help the company balance its need to control spending with continued growth, said two people who listened to the presentation. Khosrowshahi is also seeking a replacement for Uber’s longtime legal head though the topic didn’t come up at the meeting. Hours later, Chief Legal Officer Salle Yoo sent an email to employees, saying she would step down after helping Khosrowshahi find her successor.

Yoo has been in charge of Uber’s legal efforts for about five years. Although she was mostly successful in helping the company navigate tricky regulatory quandaries, Uber now faces a legal nightmare. The issues include federal probes into potential foreign bribes and the use of software to thwart law enforcement stings, as well as lawsuits alleging mistreatment of drivers, mishandling of a rape victim’s medical records in India, trade-secrets theft and illicit efforts to sniff out information from competitors.

Yoo’s exit wasn’t a surprise to insiders, who have grown concerned as Uber’s legal woes pile up. Joseph Spiegler, the global head of compliance who was tasked with ensuring Uber follows the law, also resigned recently. But Yoo’s position is a particularly vital role Khosrowshahi needs to fill, among many others. Executive turnover has been extensive this year, with the losses of the company’s president, two board members, and the heads of business, engineering, finance, policy, product and self-driving cars.