Uber Hires a CFO After 3-Year Search

Uber Technologies Inc has named Nelson Chai to be the ride-hailing company’s first chief financial officer in more than three years, effective Sept. 10.

Chai, 53, formerly was CEO of Warranty Group, an insurer he helped sell to Assurant Inc. in a deal worth $1.9 billion. He previous held senior jobs at CIT Group, the New York Stock Exchange and Merrill Lynch—each while Uber board member was John Thain was CEO of those companies.

Chai tells Bloomberg News he has had to perform under “challenging situations” in the past and hopes to help Uber float an expected initial public offering in 2019.

Filling the CFO job marks another step in the company’s effort to repopulate a senior staff depleted by the dysfunctional management style of CEO Travis Kalanick, who was forced out in June 2017.

That project began with Kalanick’s successor, former Expedia Group CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who has been working to restore the company’s reputation. Since his arrival, Uber has hired a new chief operating officer (Barney Harford, in December) and chairman (Ron Sugar this month). Uber continues to shop for a product chief and three board members.