Uber names Rebecca Messina as its first CMO

Uber, which appointed Nelson Chai as its CFO last month, added one more top executive to its management team. The ride-hailing firm announced that it has hired Rebecca Messina as its new marketing chief. She recently served as global chief marketing officer of spirits company Beam Suntory.

The two recent top exec appointments strengthen Uber’s plan of going public in 2019. In fact, Uber didn’t have a chief marketing officer position earlier, and Rebecca Messina will be the first person to head the marketing department.

In her two-year career at Beam Suntory, Messina was responsible for the company’s global brand strategy development, product innovation, R&D and consumer insights of its brands. Before joining Beam Suntory, she worked at the beverage giant Coca-Cola (KO) for about 22 years.  There, she held various marketing positions including the role of Senior Vice President, Marketing & Innovation, Ventures & Emerging Brands.

Rebecca, who admires Martin Luther King Jr. for his courage and vision, said that she is looking to drive a lot of cultural changes and evolve the Uber brand, according to Adweek. In the past, Uber has been criticized for the workplace harassments and racial discriminations.

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“I’m thrilled to welcome Rebecca to Uber. She’s exactly the right leader to build our marketing efforts globally and to showcase the ways Uber is igniting opportunities for our customers around the world,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “Joining Uber is a once in a lifetime opportunity and a true privilege. My focus has always been on three things: people, growth, and brands,” said Messina.

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