Last week, news came out that Bozoma Saint John -- Apple Music and iTunes head of Global Consumer Marketing -- was planning to leave Apple, without any indication given as to why Saint John was leaving Apple or where she planned on working next. TechCrunch is today reporting that the former Apple executive is now looking to head to Uber, although her specific role at the ride-hailing company is unclear.

Given Saint John's background in marketing, a similar position is predicted for her at Uber. According to sources, Uber is looking at Saint John's hiring as a way to "turn the tide on recent issues," suggesting that she might be coming in to help shift the negative spotlight placed on Uber in recent months.

Bozoma Saint John

We received the news via a tip, and have confirmed the appointment through multiple sources at Uber. The company, we understand, views the appointment as important in helping “turn the tide on recent issues.”

As for what role she will be taking, that’s something we’re still trying to figure out. We understand that Uber will be making more details public later. Saint John’s track record is in marketing — most recently at Apple but also with a long stint at Pepsi, among other places.

Over the past few months public opinion regarding Uber and its company culture has been largely negative online. The backlash against Uber reached new heights in January, when users began a #DeleteUber hashtag on Twitter in response to Uber's decision to keep up and running throughout the strike at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where protesters fought against President Trump's executive order banning immigrants from specific countries entering the U.S.

In addition, Uber's background GPS tracking tactics caused worry by users online last year, the FTC filed a complaint against the company for posting inflated yearly wages on various job-seeking websites, Waymo sued Uber for intellectual property theft, and it came out that Apple CEO Tim Cook was on the verge of removing Uber from the iOS App Store after Apple discovered that Uber was secretly "fingerprinting" iPhones that used the app.

If she officially joins Uber, Saint John would be one of the newest hires following a collection of departures from the company over the past six months. These include: Brian McClendon (VP of maps and business platform), Jeff Jones (president), Gary Marcus (AI lead), Rachel Whetstone (SVP of communications), Sherif Marakby (VP of global vehicle programs), Ed Baker (VP of product), Amit Singhal (SVP of engineering), and self-driving car head Anthony Levandowski, who was tied to the Waymo lawsuit.

Update: Saint John has confirmed that her role at Uber will be "Chief Brand Officer," telling Recode, "I know what I'm walking into," in reference to the company's current turmoil.

“The beauty of a new role is sort of [my ability to] define it,” Saint John told Recode in an interview. “My background is in marketing. That’s what I’m going to be focused on mostly. [But] I reserve the right to change it a little bit. The business is going to continue to grow and change and perhaps the needs for marketing and branding will change in six months.”

“I know what I’m walking into,” she said. “I think it’s a really exciting time to tell the story well. Certainly there have been lots of things that have been swirling around [about] Uber but I’m interested in telling the story about the service and what is happening from the brand standpoint.”

“I have to focus on what I have to focus on,” she continued. “There’s not a lot I can do about what’s already happened at Uber.”

Saint John said her first responsibility is to "change the perception of the brand," and that she believes "there are good stories and real stories and things that are happening that should be told that folks just don’t know."

Tag: Uber

Top Rated Comments

BWhaler Avatar
106 months ago
Uber?

Gross.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
106 months ago
Uber?o_O That's tantamount to leaving an aircraft carrier to board the Titanic. I'm sure she's getting a boatload of cash (hopefully she was smart enough to get more cash than stock options) to go there, but Uber is a literal sinking ship. If she does repair that company's reputation she will have earned every.single.penny. Good luck with that.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
106 months ago
Damage control is cheaper than treating people right. - Uber
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
555gallardo Avatar
106 months ago
Leaving a well-paid job at Apple to fulfill her lifetime dream of becoming a cab driver
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
106 months ago
Will Uber even be around one year from now?
Uber is definitely in some trouble. But whatever they have coming to them, they deserve it. They put themselves in a situation that's not a good reflection of that company. But they will likely be around for a while yet.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
106 months ago
Never seen a more bitter, angry group of people all in one place.
Welcome. It's called the internet.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...