Uber’s finance chief Brent Callinicos is leaving the taxi startup
Uber’s finance chief Brent Callinicos is driving off into the sunset and leaving one of the most highly valued tech startups in the world in the rear-view mirror.
The former Google executive who has been with Uber for less than two years will stay on as an advisor, chief executive Travis Kalanick told investors.
“Almost two years ago, I brought on one of the great financial operators in Silicon Valley as our CFO. Brent has done a wonderful job here at Uber but has decided that it is time for his next journey, one where his wife and daughter take the front seat,” he said in the memo, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, and seen by City A.M.
"Brent has provided critical leadership to take Uber to the next level as we matured as a company. We have financial systems in place overseeing operations in 53 countries. We have a deep bench of talent poised to help our finance organization grow with the business," said Kalanick.
The exit is likely to fuel speculation that the company plans to float this year as its million dollar investment from the likes of Goldman Sachs and Google Ventures has swelled its valuation to $40bn (£27bn) – more than publicly listed tech companies such as Twitter and LinkedIn.
Gautam Gupta, a former Goldman Sachs vice president working with Callinicos, will become acting head of finance at the company.
Update: This story was updated with additional detail.