Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick apologised on Tuesday hours after a video surfaced showing him involved in an altercation with one of his drivers. In his apology letter published on Uber’s public blog, Kalanick said the incident was a reminder that he must “fundamentally change as a leader and grow up”.
In the video published by Bloomberg, Uber driver Fawzi Kamel is seen blaming the company for not sticking to one business plan but making continuous changes in the prices leading to a loss. An enraged Kalanick tries to explain to him the reasons behind his business plans in the video.
“To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement,” he writes. “This is the first time I’ve been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.” He ends the note by apologising to Fawzi and the driver as well as the rider community.
The incident comes at a time when Uber is already dealing with several controversies, including sexual harassment accusations made by a former engineer at the company. In January, Kalanick had also faced backlash for his decision to join an economic advisory council for United States President Donald Trump. Following criticism, he had decided against joining the council. Meanwhile, last week, Google had filed a lawsuit against Uber for allegedly stealing its trade secrets and technology related to its self-driving car.
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