Uber boss Travis Kalanick has been forced to apologise after footage emerged of him swearing at one of the company’s drivers in a row over fares.
The video shows the chief executive getting increasingly riled after driver Fawzi Kamel complains his income has fallen because of Uber’s fare changes.
Mr Kalanick has now apologised for the outburst in an email to staff, saying he was “ashamed” of his behaviour and needed to “grow up”.
The footage, published by Bloomberg, shows Mr Kamel raise the topic of fare changes after picking up Mr Kalanick, 40, in early February.
“You have the business model in your hands, you can have the prices you want but you choose to buy everybody a ride,” says the 37-year-old driver.
“We could go higher and more expensive.”
He later adds: “I’m bankrupt because of you.”
But Mr Kalanick repeatedly refutes the driver’s claims, describing them as “bull***t”.
He tells him: “Some people don't like to take responsibility... They blame everything in their life on somebody else. Good luck!”
According to the BBC, Mr Kalanick sent staff a memo stating: "By now I'm sure you've seen the video where I treated an Uber driver disrespectfully, To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement.
"My job as your leader is to lead… and that starts with behaving in a way that makes us all proud. That is not what I did, and it cannot be explained away.
"It's clear this video is a reflection of me - and the criticism we've received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time I've been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.
"I want to profoundly apologise to Fawzi, as well as the driver and rider community, and to the Uber team."
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