Big Technology

Ex-Uber Exec Emil Michael on Autonomous Driving, Saudi Arabia, and Company Culture

Uber’s former chief business officer discusses the gig app’s future in an uncertain climate

Alex Kantrowitz
OneZero
Published in
22 min readDec 2, 2020

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Emil Michael

OneZero is partnering with the Big Technology Podcast from Alex Kantrowitz to bring readers exclusive access to interview transcripts with notable figures in and around the tech industry.

This week, we’re joined by Emil Michael, Uber’s former chief business officer. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

To subscribe to the podcast and hear the interview for yourself, you can check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Overcast.

Uber is facing a difficult moment amid the coronavirus pandemic. The service, built on the belief that people would forsake car ownership in favor of its ride-hailing service, is watching many of its customers buy cars and stay home. The new trouble comes after the company worked to right itself after years of turbulence under ex-CEO Travis Kalanick’s leadership. Emil Michael, the former Uber chief business officer and confidant of Kalanick, joined the Big Technology Podcast to discuss Uber’s business prospects, its culture, its current leadership, and its controversies.

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Alex Kantrowitz
OneZero

Veteran journalist covering Big Tech and society. Subscribe to my newsletter here: https://bigtechnology.com.