Uber’s Search for New C.E.O. Hampered by Deep Split on Board<br />Ms. Whitman, the chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a former leader of eBay, appeared to have many of the right traits for the job: experience, maturity, a level head — the kind of qualities<br />that Travis Kalanick, the Uber co-founder who stepped down as chief executive last month, mostly lacked.<br />His surrogates had also recently begun talks with the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank about an investment in Uber<br />that could provide Mr. Kalanick a route to regaining power.<br />“Our focus remains on driving the company forward and delivering for our customers, partners, employees and shareholders.”<br />The Uber board — which recently added new members amid a history of internal tensions — is mostly split into two camps.<br />Representatives for Uber, the company’s board of directors and Mr. Kalanick declined to comment, as did G. E.<br />“As Meg has made clear, she is fully committed to H. P.E.,” a spokesman for Hewlett Packard Enterprise said.<br />And at an internal meeting with Uber employees last week, Liane Hornsey, the company’s senior vice president<br />and head of human resources, said a top candidate was expected to be chosen within the next six weeks.<br />Some company executives are concerned that Mr. Kalanick could use a SoftBank investment to dilute other<br />shareholders’ stakes while he continues to buy stock back from employees in a bid to amass power.<br />Over the past few weeks, Ms. Whitman met with several Uber board members individually, offering advice on how to address the company’s problems.
