Uber should go public in next 18 to 36 months, says new CEO
- Uber's new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, said he believes Uber should be public in the next 18 to 36 months.
- His plan for Uber makes it a priority to "pay the bills."
- He will start next Tuesday.
Uber's new CEO will start on Tuesday next week, he told staffers on Wednesday, leaving his post as the CEO of Expedia.
In an all-hands meeting with employees, Dara Khosrowshahi also said something that will be music to the ears of shareholders and retail investors looking to get in on the most valuable venture-backed company in the world: His opinion is that Uber should be public, something that shareholders could see in a timeline of 18 to 36 months.
He also said his plan for Uber makes it a priority to "pay the bills." The company, which has been without a chief financial officer or head of finance for some time, is losing more than $1 billion a year. Last quarter, the company previously said, it lost $645 million on revenue of $1.75 billion.
Khosrowshahi also gave employees some insight into how he will run the company, with statements such as: "I won't B.S. you, and I hope you won't B.S. me."
Reporters with knowledge of the meeting said tears were shed by former CEO Travis Kalanick, but Khosrowshahi was being "very nice" to the co-founder, who is still on the board. Khosrowshahi reportedly said his successor at Expedia would be announced later in the day on Wednesday.
Uber board member Arianna Huffington tweeted this photo from the meeting: