Uber executive Eric Alexander sacked over rape investigation

UBER has fired one of its leading executives amid controversy over his actions during a rape investigation of a company employee.

UBER has fired one of its leading executives amid controversy over his actions during a rape investigation of a company employee.

Eric Alexander, Uber’s president of business in Asia, was sacked by the ride-hailing giant after he obtained the medical records of a woman who was raped by her driver in India, the New York Times reports.

According to the report Alexander, who worked in Hong Kong, shared the medical records with other executives.

Sacked Uber executive Eric Alexander. Picture: Getty

Alexander is said to have gained access to the report in 2014 after a woman accused her Uber driver of sexually assaulting her when she fell asleep while being driven home in Delhi.

At the time Alexander claimed the incident was part of conspiracy against Uber concocted by their rival Ola.

According to the report Alexander shared the medical report with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and VP of business Emil Michael.

He is said to have carried the report around for a year before he destroyed it.

The sacking further deepens a crisis of culture at the company.

The episode continues something of a crisis at the company.

Earlier this week Uber fired more than 20 employees after a law firm investigated complaints of sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination and other violations of company policies.

The recent firings included both managers and lower-level workers, some of whom retaliated against employees after they complained about bad conduct at the ride-hailing firm, said Bobbie Wilson, a Perkins Coie partner involved in the investigation.

Uber Technologies Inc. retained the firm after former engineer Susan Fowler posted a blog in February about sex harassment at the company. Fowler wrote that on her first day at work her boss propositioned her in a series of messages.

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The episode continues something of a crisis at the company. Picture: AP

The Perkins Coie probe is separate from one being done by former US Attorney-General Eric Holder. He is likely to make broader recommendations on how to change Uber’s culture when his report is released publicly next week.

Separately, Uber announced Tuesday that it has hired Apple marketing executive Bozoma Saint John, who will be Uber’s chief brand officer. She ran global consumer marketing of Apple Music and iTunes. Her task at Uber will be to improve its brand image so people like it as well as they like the company’s ride services, an Uber spokeswoman said.

After Fowler’s blog posting, Uber set up a 24-hour hotline to take complaints from employees, and hired Perkins Coie to investigate them. The firm checked into 215 complaints, and 57 remain under investigation. The hotline will remain in operation.

Originally published as Uber executive Eric Alexander sacked over rape investigation