Dara Khosrowshahi - A Look At His Life And Work

Ursula Stamm I 21 Jun 2025

Have you ever wondered about the person leading one of the world's most talked-about companies? Well, there's a good chance you've heard of Uber, and the person at the helm, the chief executive, is Dara Khosrowshahi. His path to this significant position, you know, really tells a story of moving from one place to another, starting in Iran and eventually making his way to the United States. It’s quite a journey, actually, that has shaped his outlook and the way he approaches business.

He's a business leader, someone who has spent a lot of time working in big companies, and he holds both Iranian and American citizenship. Since 2017, he has been the one in charge at Uber, guiding its operations across a very wide spread of places, more than 70 countries around the world, which, you know, is a pretty big responsibility for anyone to have. His work there has been about, more or less, keeping things going smoothly and making sure the company keeps growing in all those different spots.

Before his time with Uber, he spent many years as the chief executive of another well-known company, Expedia. There, he helped that business grow into one of the largest online travel services anywhere, so it's clear he has a knack for leading big, global operations. His experiences at both these places, you know, really show a consistent pattern of taking on large challenges and making a real mark on the companies he runs, more or less.

Who is Dara Khosrowshahi?
What's His Story Before Uber?
How Did Dara Khosrowshahi Get to Uber?
What Has Dara Khosrowshahi Done at Uber?
What About Uber's Financial Health Under Dara Khosrowshahi?
How Does Dara Khosrowshahi Think About Leadership?
What Are Dara Khosrowshahi's Other Interests?
What Does Dara Khosrowshahi Say About Education?

Who is Dara Khosrowshahi?

Dara Khosrowshahi is a person who has spent a lot of time in the business world, holding very important jobs. He is, as we mentioned, the chief executive officer of Uber, a company that provides rides and deliveries in many places. He was born in Iran in 1969, into a family that had, you know, quite a bit of standing and money. He spent his early years living in a rather large house on his family's property. He is the youngest of three children, with parents named Lili and Asghar, who some called Gary. His early life in Iran, you know, was certainly different from where he ended up.

After a while, his family moved to the United States, which is where he continued his schooling. He went to Brown University, where he got a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Later on, he went to Dartmouth College’s business school and earned an MBA, which is a degree that helps people learn about running businesses. These educational steps, you know, really set him up for the kind of work he would do later on in his career. He has, in a way, built a very strong foundation for himself.

In May of 2022, there was a time when Dara Khosrowshahi made a personal investment in Uber. He bought a good number of shares, specifically 200,000 shares, at a price that averaged around $26.72 for each share. This purchase amounted to, you know, about $5.34 million in total. It shows, perhaps, his personal belief in the company's future, as a matter of fact, when someone puts their own money into it like that.

Here's a little bit about Dara Khosrowshahi in a more organized way:

Full Name	Dara Khosrowshahi
Current Role	Chief Executive Officer, Uber
Birth Year	1969
Birthplace	Iran
Nationality	Iranian-American
Education	Brown University (B.S. Electrical Engineering), Dartmouth College’s School of Business (MBA)
Previous Role	Chief Executive Officer, Expedia

What's His Story Before Uber?

Before Dara Khosrowshahi took on the big job at Uber, he spent a good chunk of his career leading another very well-known company, Expedia. He was the chief executive there for a long time, and during his time, he helped Expedia become one of the largest online travel businesses in the entire world. It's kind of a big deal, actually, to take a company and help it grow to that size and reach so many people who are looking to plan trips. His work at Expedia, you know, really shows his ability to manage a business that operates on a very large scale, serving customers all over the place.

He was known for, you know, really expanding what Expedia offered and making it a go-to place for people arranging their travel needs. This background in a global, online service company, you know, seems like it would have given him a lot of useful experience for what he would later do at Uber. It was a time when he learned a great deal about how to make a technology company work for a lot of people in many different places, more or less.

How Did Dara Khosrowshahi Get to Uber?

Dara Khosrowshahi officially joined Uber in 2017, and it was, you know, a pretty significant moment for the company. At that time, Uber was, to be honest, facing a number of issues and was often called a "troubled startup." It had some cultural problems and was dealing with various challenges. So, his arrival marked a big shift, almost like a turning point for the business. He stepped in to lead what many saw as a transformation, taking it from that difficult spot to becoming, you know, a truly global technology company that many people depend on every day.

His role involved a lot of work to sort out the cultural problems that had been present within Uber. He also focused on making the company's business model bigger, finding new ways for it to operate and serve people. And, well, he had to deal with a lot of rules and regulations that were, you know, always changing and different in each country. It takes a certain kind of person, actually, to step into a situation like that and help guide a company through such a big period of change and growth, more or less.

What Has Dara Khosrowshahi Done at Uber?

Since taking on the chief executive role at Uber in 2017, Dara Khosrowshahi has been the person in charge of the company's activities across more than 70 countries. His leadership during these years has, you know, really shaped how Uber has grown all over the world. He's put a lot of focus on making sure Uber continues to be new and fresh, always trying out new things. He's also paid a lot of attention to making sure customers are happy with the service they get, which, you know, is a very important part of any business.

Beyond that, he's also looked at the company's responsibilities to society. He has, for example, shown an interest in speaking up for the rights of people who have had to leave their homes and seek safety elsewhere, like refugees. This interest, you know, comes from his own background, as he himself was born in Iran and later moved to the United States. It's quite clear that his personal experiences have, in a way, influenced his leadership style and the broader aims he has for Uber.

He also joined the board of a company called Aurora in 2020. This happened when Uber made an investment in Aurora and decided to work together with them, especially for Uber Freight, which is the part of Uber that deals with moving goods. However, later on, Dara Khosrowshahi decided to step down from the board of Aurora Innovation, the company that works on self-driving car technology. He said he wanted to, you know, really focus all his attention on his ongoing responsibilities as the chief executive of Uber and, well, reduce some of his other commitments. It makes sense, actually, that someone in such a big role would want to concentrate on their main job.

What About Uber's Financial Health Under Dara Khosrowshahi?

For quite a few years, Uber was known for, you know, spending a lot of money, literally billions of dollars, without making a profit. It was a period where the company was growing very fast but also, you know, losing a lot of cash. However, things changed, and in 2023, Uber actually reported that it had made a profit for the year. The company announced that it had an operating profit of $1.1 billion. This was a pretty big milestone, as a matter of fact, for a company that had been burning through so much money for so long.

Many people credit Dara Khosrowshahi for this turnaround. It seems that his leadership helped guide the company to a point where it could finally make money. He has, for example, talked about the company's financial results on shows like 'Squawk Box,' discussing things like the difference between Uber's ride-sharing business and its delivery business. He's also spoken about the intense competition in the delivery world, especially in other countries, and issues like lawsuits from the Federal Trade Commission, which, you know, are all part of running a very large, global business. It's clear he's been very involved in, you know, getting the company to a more stable financial place.

How Does Dara Khosrowshahi Think About Leadership?

Dara Khosrowshahi has often shared his thoughts on what it means to be a leader, especially in fast-moving industries. He had a chance to speak at Stanford Graduate School of Business, for example, where he talked about things like getting advice and guidance from more experienced people, which is often called mentorship. He also discussed how important it is to have different kinds of people and ideas within a company, which is known as diversity. And, well, he emphasized the need for new ideas and ways of doing things, which is, you know, innovation.

He's someone who, you know, clearly believes in open discussions and learning. During an event that celebrated the tenth anniversary of Brown University’s School of Professional Studies, where he himself graduated in 1991, he had a conversation with President Christina H. Paxson. In that discussion, he again talked about leadership and how to bring new ideas to life. It’s pretty clear that these topics are very important to him, and he seems to enjoy sharing his insights with others, especially students who are, you know, just starting out or looking to grow in their own careers.

What Are Dara Khosrowshahi's Other Interests?

Beyond his work at Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi has shown a real interest in other areas, like advocating for the rights of refugees. This, as we touched on earlier, stems from his own personal background, having moved from Iran to the United States. It's something that, you know, seems to be close to his heart, and he uses his position to speak about these important social issues. It's not just about business for him; there's a clear sense of, you know, broader social responsibility in his public statements and actions.

He also, you know, takes time to engage with academic institutions, as seen by his talks at Stanford and Brown University. These appearances are not just about sharing his career story, but also about discussing bigger ideas like the future of technology, how businesses can change, and what it takes to be a good leader in today's world. It’s quite interesting, actually, to see how he connects his business experience with these wider topics, more or less.

What Does Dara Khosrowshahi Say About Education?

When Dara Khosrowshahi spoke at Brown University, his old school, he talked about a few things that are, you know, quite relevant to students and anyone thinking about their future. He mentioned the idea of an "open curriculum," which is a type of education where students have a lot of choice in what they study. He also talked about artificial intelligence, which is, you know, a very big topic right now, and how it might affect things in the future. And, well, he offered advice on building a career, which is something many people are always looking for. It's pretty helpful, actually, to hear from someone who has achieved so much.

He's someone who, you know, clearly values learning and continuous growth. His own educational background, with degrees in engineering and business, shows that he believes in having a strong foundation of knowledge. When he talks to students, he's basically sharing what he's learned from his own experiences, giving them a glimpse into the kinds of decisions and thinking that go into leading a major company. It's, in a way, a chance for them to hear directly from someone who has, you know, been through a lot in the business world.

So, we've taken a look at Dara Khosrowshahi, covering his life story, from his beginnings in Iran to his leadership at Uber. We've talked about his time before Uber at Expedia, how he took the reins at Uber during a challenging period, and what he's done to help the company grow and become profitable. We also touched on his thoughts about leadership, including his views on mentorship, diversity, and innovation, and his broader interests, such as advocating for refugee rights and his engagement with educational institutions. We also heard about his personal investment in Uber shares and his discussions on the company's financial performance.

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Dara Khosrowshahi - A Look At His Life And Work

Table of Contents

Who is Dara Khosrowshahi?

What's His Story Before Uber?

How Did Dara Khosrowshahi Get to Uber?

What Has Dara Khosrowshahi Done at Uber?

What About Uber's Financial Health Under Dara Khosrowshahi?

How Does Dara Khosrowshahi Think About Leadership?

What Are Dara Khosrowshahi's Other Interests?

What Does Dara Khosrowshahi Say About Education?

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