Nikesh Arora Joins Uber Board Amid Executive Reshuffle "I'm honoured to join Uber's Board at such an exciting time, as the company plays a central role in commercialising autonomous mobility globally. Uber has already transformed how people and goods move through cities, and I look forward to supporting the company's continued growth," says Nikesh Arora, Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks

Uber Technologies has announced that Nikesh Arora, Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, is joining its board of directors. The appointment was disclosed in a regulatory filing on Wednesday and comes as part of a significant leadership shakeup at the ride-hailing giant.

This week, Uber saw the departure of Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, head of its delivery arm, after a 13-year tenure. In a move to consolidate leadership, Andrew Macdonald previously overseeing mobility has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer. This marks Uber's first COO appointment since 2019.

Commenting on his appointment, Arora said, "I'm honoured to join Uber's Board at such an exciting time, as the company plays a central role in commercialising autonomous mobility globally. Uber has already transformed how people and goods move through cities, and I look forward to supporting the company's continued growth."

Arora has led Palo Alto Networks since 2018 and previously held senior roles at SoftBank, Google, and T-Mobile. He brings extensive board experience, having served on the boards of SoftBank, Sprint, Colgate-Palmolive, and currently sits on the board of a Swiss luxury group.

Welcoming Arora to the board, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noted,"Nikesh is one of the technology sector's outstanding leaders, a strategic and disciplined operator, and a fierce competitor. We're delighted to have him join us as we pursue our long-term vision."

The leadership changes come as Uber navigates intensifying competition in the robotaxi and delivery sectors.

Tesla is expected to unveil its long-anticipated robotaxi service in Austin on 12 June. Meanwhile, Alphabet-owned Waymo already a partner of Uber in Austin and Atlanta, recently hit 10 million paid driverless rides, with weekly demand rising by 150 per cent in under a year.

In the food delivery space, rival DoorDash has been expanding aggressively, acquiring Deliveroo and booking platform SevenRooms in recent weeks.

The elevation of Macdonald, who will now oversee delivery, mobility, and autonomy, is seen as an effort to free up Khosrowshahi to focus on broader strategic priorities. Since taking the helm in 2017, Khosrowshahi has led Uber through its IPO in 2019, delivered its first operating profit in 2021, and forged key partnerships in the autonomous vehicle space after divesting its in-house AV unit.

Addressing internal speculation, Khosrowshahi reassured staff in a memo,"I recognise the changes might prompt questions about my future, so I'll be clear. I have no plans to go anywhere other than flying around the globe keeping up with our ever-expanding footprint."

As part of his board role, Arora will receive an annual cash retainer of USD 60,000 (approximately INR 50 lakh), along with USD 300,000 (around INR 2.5 crore) in restricted stock units per year, as detailed in the company's filing.