Uber’s VP of product and growth quits amid ongoing fallout of workplace harassment claims
Uber’s vice president of product and growth has extended a tumultuous spell for ride-hailing service Uber after abruptly tendering his resignation - just weeks after chief executiveTravis Kalanick launched an ‘urgent investigation’ into sexual harassment allegations made by a former employee.
In an email outlining his decision to leave after three years of service, Baker said: “I have always wanted to apply my experience in technology and growth to the public sector. And now seems like the right moment to get involved.”
Reports in Recode however suggest there may have been other issues at play, citing an anonymous tip-off made to board member Arianna Huffington that Baker had engaged in a sexual encounter with a fellow employee
Sources cited by the tech website suggest that Baker was seen ‘making out’ at an internal Uber gathering three years ago and there are no suggestions of impropriety on his part.
Nevertheless, the exit comes at a difficult time for Uber, which has also been accused of industrial espionage by Google over the theft of its self-driving car technology and has been hit by a #deleteUber social media campaign.
Baker’s departure follows the abortive appointment of former Google search chief Amit Singhal as SVP of engineering just one month after being confirmed in the post.