Driving Change

2017 was a year of challenges and controversies for Uber. In February, former engineer Susan Fowler published a blog post describing the sexual harassment and gender bias she faced at the company, causing Uber to launch an investigation of its culture. Google’s self-driving car unit, Waymo, sued Uber for alleged intellectual property theft. The New York Times published an expose detailing how Uber used a software tool called “greyball” to elude law enforcement in cities where the ridesharing service was limited or banned. Many senior executives left the company, culminating in the resignation of longtime CEO and cofounder Travis Kalanick in June.

Now the company is turning to Bozoma Saint John to upgrade its image. Hired in June 2017 as the company’s Chief Brand Officer, Saint John is tasked with telling the stories of its millions of riders and drivers across 600 cities. A seasoned advertising and marketing executive, Saint John has held leadership roles at Apple Music and Pepsi. She sits down with the Verge's Senior Technology Editor Lauren Goode to discuss her background and career, the challenges she’s facing as she leads the effort to change Uber’s image and insights about the future of the ride-sharing company.