Uber CEO Kalanick Confirms Sabbatical

Travis Kalanick, founder and CEO of ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc., confirms earlier media reports that he will take time off from leading the crisis-laden company.

Day-to-day operations will be handled by the managers who report directly to him. Kalanick, who says he will remain available for major strategic decisions, did not announced an interim CEO or say how long he plans to be away.

The 40-year-old tells employees via email he will use the leave of absence to grieve for his mother, who was killed in a boating accident in late May. The brash CEO adds that he will seek counsel to improve his own management skills, declaring that, “if we are going to work on Uber 2.0, I also need to work on Travis 2.0.”

Kalanick’s sabbatical comes as Uber’s board unanimously adopts 47 recommended improvements to the company’s corporate shortcomings. The advice was the result of an investigation prompted by claims of sexual harassment and led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

Holder’s recommendations include reassigning some of Kalanick’s authority and implementing better controls over human resources and company spending. They also call for better management training and accountability.