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Here’s who could lead Uber out of its scandals

UPDATE: Uber’s Travis Kalanick has resigned as CEO, saying “I love Uber more than anything in the world and at this difficult moment in my personal life I have accepted the investors’ request to step aside so that Uber can go back to building rather than be distracted with another fight.”

Marne Levine, Instagram's chief operating officer, could be a good candidate for Uber. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Marne Levine, Instagram’s COO, could be a good candidate for Uber. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

To call last week a “doozy” for Uber would be an understatement, with CEO Travis Kalanick announcing a leave of absence from the ride-hailing business following a slew of scandals in recent months and the death of his mother in a boating accident.

Now that the dust has settled somewhat, the question remains: Who can steer Uber into a new chapter?

The onus could fall on a chief operating officer, which the company has actively searched for since March, following allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace from a former Uber engineer. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that Uber interviewed candidates including former Walt Disney Co. COO Thomas Staggs, former Wal-Mart CIO Karenann Terrell, and Helena Foulkes, executive vice president of CVS Health Corp (CVS).

Thomas Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, Tuesday, July 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Thomas Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, Tuesday, July 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Two sources familiar with the matter said Staggs remains a favorite, due to a proven 16-year-track record at Disney (DIS). In the 12 years spent as CFO, Staggs reportedly worked on deals including the $7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar in 2006 and the $4 billion purchase of Marvel in 2009, the latter of which yielded a slew of blockbuster films, including “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Avengers.” Staggs also more than doubled overall theme park operating profits to $2.66 billion as chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts.

Uber may also be facing pressure for its COO to be a woman or minority, sources suggested, again, driven in part by recent scandals in its workplace, as well as controversies that include drivers sexually assaulting female passengers.

While several members of the 14-person committee currently running Uber were hailed by sources familiar with the matter as “smart”, “strategic” and “well-respected” inside Uber’s offices and halls, none of them have the obvious C-Suite experience necessary to essentially run the company.

One committee member, Rachel Holt, joined Uber in 2011 after a stint as Associate Marketing Manager at Clorox (CLX). She quickly ascended the ranks, from running operations in Washington, D.C. to running operations for all of North America. But that rapid ascent also means she may lack the experience necessary to run a business with an estimated $68 billion market cap and sprawling global footprint.

“Rachel is absolutely brilliant, but the reality is that she probably is not ready,” one source said.