Ryan Graves

About

Ryan Graves is an American entrepreneur, executive, and investor who is best recognized as the first employee and inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Uber. In 2010, Graves responded to a now-famous tweet by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick seeking an entrepreneurial product manager, which led to his hiring. He served as CEO for several months during Uber's crucial formative stage before stepping into the role of Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Operations when Kalanick assumed the CEO position. In these operational roles, Graves was instrumental in scaling Uber from a local San Francisco startup into a global transportation powerhouse, overseeing its aggressive international expansion and operational strategy. He stepped down from his executive duties at Uber in 2017 and eventually resigned from its board of directors in 2019, just as the company went public. Following his highly successful tenure at Uber, Graves founded Saltwater, a mission-driven investment holding company that focuses on acquiring, scaling, and operating resilient businesses with a long-term perspective. Additionally, he has served on the boards of various technology companies, including Metromile, and is actively involved in philanthropic initiatives, particularly in environmental conservation and community development.

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