SAN FRANCISCO / NEW DELHI: Uber Technologies has elevated India-born executive Pradeep Parameswaran to the role of Global Head of Mobility, placing him at the helm of the company’s largest and most critical business vertical. The move is part of a broader executive reshuffle aimed at sharpening Uber’s strategic focus across global markets.
Parameswaran will now oversee Uber’s mobility operations across major regions including North America, Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific. He will report directly to CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and join Uber’s top executive leadership team.
This leadership change marks a significant milestone in Parameswaran’s journey with Uber, which began in 2017. Since then, he has held a string of influential roles, including Head of Central Operations for India, President for India and South Asia, Regional General Manager for Asia Pacific, and most recently, Global Head of Business Development.
He succeeds Andrew Macdonald, a 13-year Uber veteran, who has now been appointed as the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO). The appointment restores a COO position at Uber for the first time in six years and is expected to bolster efforts around automation and next-generation transport services.
“This change might prompt some questions about my future,” CEO Khosrowshahi noted in an internal email to employees. “So I’ll be clear: I have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon – other than fly around the globe trying to keep up with our ever-growing footprint.”
Visionary with Operational Rigor
Macdonald, in his remarks about Parameswaran’s appointment, praised his successor’s unique leadership style.
“Pradeep is someone who is uniquely able to bridge the forest and the trees,” Macdonald said. “He brings bold vision, like getting every taxi in the world on Uber, while keeping his hands in the details as a classic Uber nuts-and-bolts operator.”
Parameswaran’s new mandate includes oversight of Uber’s high-capacity vehicle (HCV) programs, micro-mobility products, shuttle services, and the consumer vehicle segment—strategic growth areas as cities shift away from private vehicle ownership.
Track Record in Expansion and Innovation
During his tenure, Parameswaran has played a pivotal role in Uber’s global expansion and electric mobility initiatives. He led the acquisitions of CarNextDoor in Australia and HKTaxi in Hong Kong and spearheaded green mobility efforts in India—including a key partnership with Tata Motors to deploy electric vehicles and a $20 million investment in Everest Fleet, a Mumbai-based EV and CNG fleet operator.
Before joining Uber, Parameswaran held senior leadership roles at DEN Networks as CEO and was a partner at McKinsey & Company. He began his career with Hindustan Unilever. He is an alumnus of IIT Madras and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He also serves as an independent board director at FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the parent of beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa.
Indian Talent Rises at Uber
Parameswaran’s elevation is part of a broader trend of Indian-origin leaders rising to the top ranks at Uber. In October 2024, the company appointed Sachin Kansal as Chief Product Officer and Praveen Naga as Chief Technology Officer. Meanwhile, Anirban Kundu, Uber’s former Head of Delivery Engineering, departed to become CTO at Instacart.
Uber’s India and South Asia business will continue to be led by Prabhjeet Singh, who reports into the Asia Pacific leadership. India remains a crucial technology and innovation hub for Uber, employing over 1,500 people across Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
As Parameswaran steps into his global role, industry watchers see the move as a strong endorsement of emerging market leadership and a signal of Uber’s long-term commitment to mobility innovation on a global scale.
