Whilst Uber gets pounded in the US, over here in Asia Pacific, they are definitely not letting their eyes off the prize. With fierce rivals from Grab, Uber definitely needs to buck up their game to stay relevant and remain as a value creator for both passengers and drivers. In order to achieve that, they needed someone at the helm to build up partnerships and to continue business development in a large region. Enter Brooks Entwistle, the new Chief Business Officer at Uber Asia Pacific.
Mr. Entwistle comes with an amazing resume, he joined Uber from The Everstone Group, a private equity firm, where he was the CEO. Before that, he was the Chairman of Goldman Sachs Southeast Asia as well as stints in the United Nations, McKinsey, and other firms. He has lived and worked in Asia for the past 20 years.
His appointment to Uber shows that the ride hailing technology firm is definitely serious about the region and wants to write a new chapter in the region, as they explore new opportunities to invest and grow Uber’s presence through strategic partnerships and investment opportunities.
Commenting on his appointment, Brooks said: “Uber is one of the most exciting, innovative and mission-driven companies in Asia, and I’m thrilled to be getting aboard as it steps up its efforts to unlock the benefits of ridesharing for riders, drivers, and cities,” he said. “After twenty years working in Asia, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity of shaping how the region moves over the next twenty.”
Brooks is definitely not one to shy away from challenges as he had recently just summited Mount Everest. With a new leader at the helm, we can definitely see Uber making a strong decisive move within the region. Let us see how they will fare against the onslaught brought by our local regional players such as Grab and GoJek.
[Source: Uber]
