Despite Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick wanting to be part of the company going public, the company’s board is considering not letting Kalanick ring the opening bell on May 10, Uber’s first day of trading, Axios reports. Kalanick also wants to bring his dad, The New York Times reports.
Additionally, Kalanick’s fellow co-founders Ryan Graves and Garrett Camp may not be allowed on the balcony to ring the bell.
Uber would not be where it is today without Kalanick, but him being there would surely be a reminder of Uber’s rocky past. Still, Benchmark partner Matt Cohler wants Kalanick and his co-founders to be there, according to Axios. Instead of joining Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and other Uber executives on the balcony, Kalanick will only be able to be on the New York Stock Exchange floor with the company’s other board members.
Kalanick resigned from Uber in 2017 following pressure from shareholders to do so. That came shortly after Kalanick took a leave of absence following sexual harassment allegations from former Uber engineer Susan Fowler Rigetti.
I’ve reached out to Uber and will update this story if I hear back.
