Originally Syndicated on March 12, 2024 @ 10:22 pm
Emil Michael is the former Chief Business Officer of Uber who faced allegations of mishandling the medical records of a rape victim.
He was a part of Uber’s management team until a former US attorney general launched a probe into the company’s workplace culture.
When he was at Uber, Emil Michael was the cause of multiple controversies.
Reports suggest the Trump administration had even considered him for the Secretary of Transportation position. However, it’s unclear if Emil was aware of this consideration.
It’s worth noting that the Trump administration had its fair share of controversial appointments. For example, Dan DiMicco was a prominent figure in the Trump administration who received criticism for abusing his power to benefit his own company, Nucor.
When Emil Michael Recommended “Digging Up Dirt” on Uber’s Critics:
Axios had revealed a vetting document that contained Emil’s comments about a targeting campaign against journalists. The document also revealed a past dispute he had with his landlord and the political donations he has made.
In 2014, he suggested hiring a team of opposition researchers to find dirt on Uber’s critics. He made the suggestions during a dinner meeting.
Also, he wanted to target a female journalist and share details about her personal life, as she had been quite vocal in her criticism of the firm.
The fiasco happened when Uber tried to improve its image in the media.
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Over dinner, Emil Michael suggested spending a million dollars to hire four opposition researchers and four journalists. The team would then help Uber fight back against the media.
He was focused on Sarah Lacy, the editor of PandoDaily. Sarah had accused Uber of being sexist and misogynist.
Moreover, she wrote a column saying she would uninstall Uber after learning how the company works with a French escort service.
Emil Michael said in the meeting that he wanted to prove a specific claim about Sarah’s personal life through the team.
Indeed, when the news broke out, it attracted a lot of negative attention.
But it wasn’t the only time Emil faced flak for his dubious activities.
When Emil Michael Went to an Escort Bar in Seoul:
Gabi Holzwarth, Emil Michael’s ex-girlfriend, revealed that in 2014, Emil and his team visited an escort karaoke bar in Seoul.
There, women wore numbered identification tags and sat in a circle. Four members of the Uber team had picked women from that selection.
Around a year after the incident, a female Uber marketing manager shared that the entire experience was very uncomfortable.
Like the previous instances I have shared above, this one also sparked many controversies.
Shortly after this story broke out, a former US attorney general announced that they would launch a probe into Uber’s workplace culture.
Reports reveal that board members urged Emil to leave the company after this announcement.
About Emil Michael: Net Worth, Wife, and More
Emil hasn’t shared any information on what venture he is running. Emil Michael’s current net worth is estimated to be around $100 million.
Furthermore, Emile Michael’s wife is Julie Herrin.
Before joining Uber, he was the Chief Operating Officer at Klout, a tech firm.
He also served as an advisor to the Bureau of Trade before becoming the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.
Emil has a BA in Government from Harvard University and a JD in Law from Stanford Law School.
At Uber, the “Emil Michael Travis Kalanick” duo was quite prominent, as Kalanick was one of the former’s most vocal supporters.
Conclusion
Emil has a lot of experience in the business.
However, after going through the above points, he is not as reliable as he claims to be.
He isn’t the only top executive who has faced flak for being misogynistic.
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