優步創始人可能被迫引退
Uber’s board met yesterday to decide whether co-founder Travis Kalanick should step back — and to determine the future of two close allies — as it considers the findings of a scathing report into the ride-hailing group’s culture.
優步(Uber)董事會昨日召開會議，以決定聯合創始人特拉維斯卡蘭尼克(Travis Kalanick)是否應當後退一步，並決定他的兩個親密盟友的未來。董事會正在考慮一份嚴厲批評這家叫車服務集團文化的調查報告。
Mr Kalanick could go on temporary leave or cede his position as chief executive, according to two people involved in the situation, putting the future of the tech industry’s most valuable private company on the line after months of damaging revelations about its leadership and workplace behaviour.
兩位知情人士透露，卡蘭尼克可能會暫時休假或者放棄他的首席執行官職位，使這家科技行業估值最高的私有公司的未來面臨危險，此前幾個月不斷爆出關於其領導層和工作場所行爲的破壞性消息。The board will delve through the report into Uber’s internal practices and diversity prepared by Eric Holder, the former US attorney-general, according to these people.
上述知情人士表示，優步董事會將深入研究這份出自美國司法部前部長埃裏克霍爾德(Eric Holder)之手、有關優步內部實踐與多元性的報告。
Its leadership team has also been shaken by allegations that a senior manager obtained medical records related to a rape victim who was assaulted by her Uber driver in India.
有關一名高管獲取在印度遭到優步司機強姦的一名女性乘客的病歷的指稱，也震動了該公司的領導團隊。Uber fired more than 20 people last week following an earlier investigation into claims of sexual harassment at the company.
上週，在之前針對該公司存在性騷擾的指控完成調查後，優步解僱了20多人。Two of Mr Kalanick’s longest-serving deputies, Emil Michael and Ryan Graves, have become embroiled in the scandals. Mr Holder’s report could put their future at the company into question, according to one person close to the deliberations.
卡蘭尼克的兩名服務時間最長的副手埃米爾邁克爾(Emil Michael)和瑞安格拉夫斯(Ryan Graves)捲入了這些醜聞。一位知情人士表示，霍爾德的報告可能會使這二人在優步的未來產生問號。Uber declined to comment.
優步拒絕置評。Complicating the board’s decisions is the leadership vacuum at the company after a series of high-level departures. Six people reporting to Mr Kalanick have left since February. Uber is still hunting for a chief operating officer while it is accelerating a search for a chief financial officer.
使優步董事會的決定變得更復雜的是，在多名高管相繼走人後，目前該公司已出現領導層真空。今年2月以來，已有6名向卡蘭尼克報告的高管離開了。優步仍在物色一名首席運營官，同時也在加緊尋找一名首席財務官。Any diminution of Mr Kalanick’s duties would come as a serious blow to Uber, which is valued at $70bn. In the tech industry, founders often have cult-like followings among employees, while their large shareholdings can make it difficult for board members and other investors to force them out.
對卡蘭尼克職權的任何削減，都將對估值高達700億美元的優步造成沉重打擊。在科技行業，創始人經常在員工中享有偶像般的崇拜，同時，他們的高持股比例也導致董事會成員或其他投資人很難把他們趕走。
