Dara Khosrowshahi

So I was reading about it on the news just like everyone else was, right? It was just all over the place. And it was crazy. Meg Whitman, Jeff Amell. It was a public. Everything going on and what led to it. You know, the... battle between Travis and Benchmark and all that stuff. It was fascinating as an observer. I never, ever, ever imagined that I would then play a part.

And a headhunter called me about this role. So not a board member directly, a headhunter. Headhunter.

And a headhunter called me about this role. So not a board member directly, a headhunter. Headhunter.

Headhunter called me. It was a structured process. I'm like, no way. Like, no thank you. Goodbye. Happy in Seattle. Yeah, 13 years. I got my place on Wimpy. I love working for Barry. Like, I was good. This is fun. Yeah, exactly. It was fun. And then I was at the Sun Valley Conference, the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, and having drinks with Daniel Leck.

Headhunter called me. It was a structured process. I'm like, no way. Like, no thank you. Goodbye. Happy in Seattle. Yeah, 13 years. I got my place on Wimpy. I love working for Barry. Like, I was good. This is fun. Yeah, exactly. It was fun. And then I was at the Sun Valley Conference, the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, and having drinks with Daniel Leck.

And he's like, Dara, you know, did you get the call from that headhunter about the Uber job? I think you'd be perfect for the job. And I didn't know what the headhunter, why the headhunter called. Turned out Daniel. I'm like, dude, why would I ever do that? Like, I'm happy. Like, why would I ever jump into that mess? So Daniel gave the headhunter your number. Yes.

And he's like, Dara, you know, did you get the call from that headhunter about the Uber job? I think you'd be perfect for the job. And I didn't know what the headhunter, why the headhunter called. Turned out Daniel. I'm like, dude, why would I ever do that? Like, I'm happy. Like, why would I ever jump into that mess? So Daniel gave the headhunter your number. Yes.

No way. And he looks at me like, with those like... piercing Scandinavian eyes. He's like, Dara, since when is life about having fun? It's about having impact. It's important. Like, you can do this. And I'd had a couple of drinks and the alcohol was flowing and we were having fun. And my wife says like, yeah, you can do this. I'm like, yeah, I can do this.

No way. And he looks at me like, with those like... piercing Scandinavian eyes. He's like, Dara, since when is life about having fun? It's about having impact. It's important. Like, you can do this. And I'd had a couple of drinks and the alcohol was flowing and we were having fun. And my wife says like, yeah, you can do this. I'm like, yeah, I can do this.

So the next day I called the headhunter back and I said, let's talk. And the next step was for me to meet a board member and we had dinner and he was very charming and he kind of started the recruitment. It was pretty cool.

So the next day I called the headhunter back and I said, let's talk. And the next step was for me to meet a board member and we had dinner and he was very charming and he kind of started the recruitment. It was pretty cool.

God, I think it was about two months. It was over the summer. Wow. How do you keep it secret? Nobody knew. I told them, I said, listen, up front, I have a job and it's a great job. So the nanosecond that my name shows up in the news, I'm out of here. So I just want you to know, the nanosecond it shows up in the news, I'm out of here. But I had to be realistic that it could show up in the news.

God, I think it was about two months. It was over the summer. Wow. How do you keep it secret? Nobody knew. I told them, I said, listen, up front, I have a job and it's a great job. So the nanosecond that my name shows up in the news, I'm out of here. So I just want you to know, the nanosecond it shows up in the news, I'm out of here. But I had to be realistic that it could show up in the news.

It's amazing that it didn't. So actually, at that point, I called up Barry. because I couldn't put Barry in a situation or myself in a situation. I've worked with him 13 years, probably 20 years at IEC, and then even before as a banker. He and I have an incredible relationship. I owe so much to him.

It's amazing that it didn't. So actually, at that point, I called up Barry. because I couldn't put Barry in a situation or myself in a situation. I've worked with him 13 years, probably 20 years at IEC, and then even before as a banker. He and I have an incredible relationship. I owe so much to him.

I couldn't take the risk of his seeing it in the press and the consequences of that and the loss of trust. So I called him up. I said, Barry, head on and call me about Uber. I'm going to talk to them. And he's like, you're effing crazy, hung up on me. I told Seth, like, oh, my God, I'm going to get fired. And nothing. Dead silence.

I couldn't take the risk of his seeing it in the press and the consequences of that and the loss of trust. So I called him up. I said, Barry, head on and call me about Uber. I'm going to talk to them. And he's like, you're effing crazy, hung up on me. I told Seth, like, oh, my God, I'm going to get fired. And nothing. Dead silence.

He wasn't going to. He could. Maybe he would. I didn't know. We worked together for a long time. Call him the next day. He said... Speaking as the chairman of Expedia, it would be a real mistake. But speaking as a friend, I understand why you're interested. I would be too. How can I help? And that's the definition of who he is. Because we weren't in the news, it was like we gossip about it.

He wasn't going to. He could. Maybe he would. I didn't know. We worked together for a long time. Call him the next day. He said... Speaking as the chairman of Expedia, it would be a real mistake. But speaking as a friend, I understand why you're interested. I would be too. How can I help? And that's the definition of who he is. Because we weren't in the news, it was like we gossip about it.

It's like, oh, did you hear Meg is this? And so it was a fun thing that we gossiped about. But he actually, there was a point in time when I had to make a presentation to the Uber board. This was like my big presentation. And I heard that the other candidates were coming in to present as well. So this was a big day.