Uber’s second-in-command, chief marketing officer depart in post-IPO shake-up

Washington: Uber’s second-in-command and its chief marketing officer will be leaving the company, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced Friday, in a major executive shake-up following the company’s initial public offering last month.

Khosrowshahi told employees that Barney Harford, chief operating officer, and Rebecca Messina, chief marketing officer, will be departing the company as it consolidates executive roles following the high-profile stock market listing.

“There’s never really a right time to announce departures or changes like this, but with the IPO behind us, I felt this was a good moment to simplify our org and set us up for the future,” Khosrowshahi said in an email obtained by the Post.

Khosrowshahi said in the email he was assuming command of Uber’s core business, helming the rides and the eats business, with top executives reporting directly to him. That eliminates Uber’s chief operating officer role.

Jill Hazelbaker, will lead a newly combined team of marketing communications and policy as senior vice president of marketing and affairs. Khosrowshahi wrote that on the marketing side, the company needed to provide a “consistent, unified narrative to consumers, partners, the press and policymakers.”

Messina was brought on as chief marketing officer in September. Harford had been with the company for nearly two years.