Uber’s Head of Corporate Development Resigns Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

According to NBC, Cameron Poetzscher, Uber’s Head of Corporate Development, handed in his resignation this week, following a Wall Street Journal article published last month that cited a 2017 sexual misconduct investigation ordered by Uber.

Following accusations of sexual misconduct from his female colleagues, Poetzscher was investigated and subsequently penalized when the investigation revealed that the accusations were true. According to Business Insider, it was found that he had “a pattern of making sexually suggestive comments about his coworkers and that he had a consensual affair with a colleague at Uber, which violated company policies.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, “Uber gave Cameron Poetzscher a warning, reduced his bonus and mandated sensitivity coaching.” The investigation was confidential and was only revealed to the public after its contents were published by the Wall Street Journal, allegedly causing Poetzscher to resign.

Following the end of the investigation back in 2017, Poetzscher admitted wrongdoing and praised Uber for making the right decision in taking disciplinary action against him.

Poetzscher is known for his many “high-profile deals at Uber,” having joined the company following a stint at Goldman Sachs. He is accredited with accruing billions of dollars in investments for Uber. Nelson Chai, Uber’s Chief Financial Officer, is temporarily replacing Poetzscher. Chai will turn over the role once Uber has announced their full replacement. The company has not released a statement suggesting who this replacement may be.

Cameron’s resignation comes at a time of heavy coverage and momentum in the #MeToo movement. Uber refrained from commenting on Poetzscher’s resignation other than to simply thank him for his four years of work at Uber. According to Business Insider, some Uber employees had noted that they believed his punishment was not substantial enough, and that he should have been fired once it had been revealed that the 2017 allegations against him were true.

According to San Fransisco Business Times, Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s current CEO, “has been widely seen as an executive that would make changes to Uber’s internal culture,” as Poetzscher’s resignation is not the only scandal surrounding Uber in the past few years. The company “has been dogged by several accusations of having a toxic work culture,” according to NBC. Last year, Travis Kalanick, Uber’s CEO before Khosrowshahi, resigned following employee complaints surrounding Uber’s “culture of sexism.”

Poetzscher has yet to comment on his resignation, although many news and media outlets have reached out for a statement.