Uber’s top boss in Britain has quit the company.
In an email to staff, Uber’s northern European manager Jo Bertram wrote that the company needed a new manager in the region to tackle the issues it faces.
She has been with the company for four years.
Uber’s licence to operate in London was revoked recently because of concerns over the safety and security of people using the service.
It can continue to operate while its appeal is being considered.
“Given some of our current challenges, I’m also convinced that now is the right time to have a change of face, and to hand over to someone who will be here for the long haul and take us into the next phase,” Bertram wrote.
“An exciting new opportunity has arisen that will allow me to apply what I’ve learnt here and I’ll be able to share more details with you soon.”
Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber’s top boss in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “Jo will remain with us over the next few weeks in order to help with a smooth transition, and I look forward to working closely with the excellent team she leaves behind.”
Tom Elvidge, head of its business in London, will lead the UK operation on an interim basis, he said.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will meet Transport for London commissioner Mike Brown on Tuesday to seek a path to renewing its licence.
He apologised to Londoners last week for “mistakes we’ve made” and said the taxi app “must change”.
More than 680,000 people have signed an online petition calling for Uber’s licence to be extended.