Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Jeff Chiu / AP
Capping off the last several days of headlines about Uber's long-awaited investigation about its workplace issues, Fortune executive editor Adam Lashinsky sat down with Recode executive editor Kara Swisher to discuss his new book, Wild Ride, on the ever-embattled ride-hailing company.
Why it matters: Despite its many controversies, Uber has become a highly influential company and the highest-valued startup in history. Its fate is sure to have an impact on the business world, whether it succeeds and goes public or goes down in flames.
Here are a few of Lashinsky's comments from their conversation on Wednesday at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco:
On CEO Travis Kalanick's recently announced leave of absence:
"I read that as [him] not leaving at all."
On Uber's ability to go public despite all its notoriety:
"We can discuss the morality of it but we know that Silicon Valley venture capitalists will tolerate almost anything…. And the same is true for public shareholders."
On Uber's significance:
"I am far more interested in what the app enabled than phrases like 'the gig economy.'"
On Uber's aggressive methods of operating:
"I think it's possible to do what they're doing without being shifty--Lyft is doing it."
On addressing Uber's often sexist culture in the book:
"I could have done more and I could have done better." Lashinsky added that, "When you read my book you get a sense of an immature grownup running an immature company."
On whether Uber will actually change its workplace following the report:
"Given the scrutiny that they're under it's gonna be hard for them not to take them seriously… I don't believe that every person is rotten."
On the viability of Uber's business model:
"Even with what they released, we don't have a super clear of the plans."
On whether Uber can salvage its brand:
"Brands can rejuvenate."
On who he thinks would be a great COO for the company:
Thomas Staggs (formerly Disney's COO), or Alan Mulally (formerly Ford's CEO and president)
On what will happen to Uber:
"I'm gonna give you the cup half full: it's a company with global operations -- and I'm reaching for a cliche -- and mindshare…. If they can get past that and you bring in the right leadership to run that global operation, that would be the cup half full," said Lashinsky.
"I think they're gonna get sold… to Google," said Swisher.