Uber CEO to take leave of absence

SAN FRANCISCO Uber said on Tuesday that its chief executive officer Travis Kalanick will take an indefinite leave of absence, as it unveiled steps aimed at restoring confidence in the scandal-plagued ride-hailing giant.

The pioneering company has been facing pressure to rein in a no-holds-barred management style led by Mr Kalanick, 40, and to reform its workplace culture, which has sparked charges of harassment and discrimination.

"If we are going to work on Uber 2.0, I also need to work on Travis 2.0 to become the leader that this company needs and that you deserve," Mr Kalanick said in an e-mail to employees.

He said one of the reasons for his stepping aside was the recent death of his mother, explaining he needs time off "to reflect, to work on myself and to focus on building a world-class leadership team", AFP reported.