Uber Board Member Resigns After Making Sexist Joke at Company Meeting About Sexism

On Tuesday, two things happened during Uber’s all-hands meeting—which was intended to address findings of a probe into allegations of gender discrimination at the world’s most valuable tech company—that explained Silicon Valley’s sexism problem better than any investigation could. First, human-resources chief Liane Hornsey asked everyone in the room to give each other hugs, a request that seemed somewhat inappropriate at a company-wide meeting about harassment, sexism, and other human-resources violations, but one that encapsulated Uber’s clumsy efforts to heal and move on. Then, by way of explaining how to build a more diverse board, Uber board member Arianna Huffington said, “There’s a lot of data that shows when there’s one woman on a board, it’s much more likely that there will be a second woman on the board,” according to Yahoo Finance, which obtained audio of the meeting. She was interrupted by Uber board member David Bonderman, who, in a perfect display of Uber’s problems with sexism, said: “Actually, what it shows is that it’s much more likely to be more talking.”

Bonderman, a partner at private-equity firm TPG, resigned from Uber’s board about 12 hours after cracking the joke, which reportedly left employees “aghast” and led them to write angry e-mails to Hornsey and their managers about Bonderman’s remarks. “Today at Uber’s all-hands meeting, I directed a comment to my colleague and friend Arianna Huffington that was careless, inappropriate, and inexcusable. The comment came across in a way that was the opposite of what I intended, but I understand the destructive effect it had, and I take full responsibility for that,” Bonderman, who had worked on Uber’s culture over the past few months, said in a statement.

“Having worked with the company for some months on the Holder report, I recognize the importance of implementing the requirements of the report . . . I need to hold myself to the same standards that we’re asking Uber to adopt. Therefore, I have decided to resign from Uber’s board of directors, effective tomorrow morning.” He also sent a note of apology to Uber’s employees. “I want to apologize to my fellow board member for a disrespectful comment that was directed at her during today’s discussion,” Bonderman wrote. “It was inappropriate. I also want to apologize to all Uber employees who were offended by the remark. I deeply regret it.”

Tuesday’s all-hands meeting, which was preceded by an announcement that C.E.O. Travis Kalanick would be taking an indefinite leave of absence, was intended to disclose the results of an external investigation launched several months ago by former U.S. attorney general Eric Holder and his law firm, Covington & Burling. (Perkins Coie conducted a separate investigation into more than 200 claims filed with Uber’s human-resources department.) Among the 47 recommendations in the report, which Uber’s board has already unanimously approved, are plans to limit alcohol provided at corporate events; to create a board oversight committee; to scale back the C.E.O.’s responsibilities by appointing a C.O.O.; and to provide mandatory human-resources and leadership training.

Bonderman’s empty seat on Uber’s board will likely be filled by another representative from TPG, a major stakeholder in the company. “I appreciate David doing the right thing for Uber at this time of critical cultural changes at the company,” Huffington said in a statement. (from)

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