Uber names longtime executive Andrew Macdonald as president and its first COO since 2019; SVP of Delivery Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty is leaving after ~13 years
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Amy Thielen / Seeking Alpha : Uber appoints first COO since 2019 to help steer autonomous driving strategy Jonathan Vanian / CNBC : Uber delivery chief Gore-Coty is leaving after almost 13 years at ride-hailing company Natalie Lung / Bloomberg Law : Uber Names a Top Executive to COO as Delivery Head Exits Dean Seal / Morningstar, Inc. : Uber Promotes New Operations Chief as Delivery Head Steps Down Erica Kollmann / Benzinga : Uber Reveals Vice President Of Delivery Is Leaving After ‘The Ride Of A Lifetime’
Context & Ripple Effects
Uber’s delivery organization has already been through a leadership handoff: Gore-Coty took over after the 2020 exit of the prior Eats head while the company was narrowing operations in some markets. His departure therefore ends a long-running leadership chapter rather than creating a new delivery unit from scratch.
Macdonald’s expanded remit restores a COO layer absent since Uber’s previous COO departed in 2019. It also builds on his earlier absorption of responsibilities following a partnerships leadership exit, indicating continued reliance on experienced internal operators.
First-order effects
- Macdonald becomes president and COO, concentrating operating leadership in a role that will help steer Uber’s autonomous-driving strategy.
- Gore-Coty’s exit creates an immediate leadership transition for Delivery after nearly 13 years at Uber.
Second-order effects
- Uber will need to preserve execution continuity across delivery while redefining decision rights between the incoming COO structure and Delivery’s next leader.
- A single operations chief can give autonomous-driving work a clearer route into company-wide execution, rather than leaving it solely within a separate strategic function.
Third-order effects
- If this model persists, Uber may shift toward more centralized operating accountability as it coordinates mature ride-hailing and delivery businesses with emerging autonomous services.
- The move is a test of whether internal executives with cross-regional and cross-functional experience can manage that coordination without adding another layer of organizational friction.
The trend: Platform companies are elevating operating leaders to connect established marketplace businesses with the execution demands of autonomous services.