General Motors’ Cruise Automation subsidiary has its first-ever chief technology officer in AGÂ Gangadhar. The newly minted CTO formerly worked for Uber but departed this past July.
Recode reported in late November that Gangadhar is also the same executive named in controversial emails surrounding sexual harassment in his former department at Uber. Specifically, Susan Fowler, a former Uber engineer, complained of sexual harassment in the workplace and indirectly referenced Gangadhar in a detailed essay on sexual harassment in the workplace.
Gangadhar reportedly ignored Fowler’s comments and concerns over sexual harassment and barred her from transferring departments due to “undocumented performance problems.” She criticized GM for hiring the—in her opinion—controversial figure.
“The hire is troubling, and is proof that Silicon Valley still has a very, very long way to go before it can claim it takes culture problems seriously,” she said.
Cruise defended Gangadhar and said it performed weeks of due diligence before offering the executive the position.
“His technical skills are extensive and unique, and were corroborated throughout the interview process. Given the current issues at Uber, Gangadhar’s former employer, we extensively vetted him over the ongoing employment-related litigation and have no indication that he is implicated in the matter,” a Cruise spokesperson said.
Comments
This isn’t a good look, no, but I didn’t read the vetting so I don’t know for sure.
However, Barra has still not supplied the Limo-in-Chief for the golden-towered one. Perhaps she won’t, now that Lindsay Graham holds Trump’s tongue.
Lindsay Graham, Republican Senator for SC, retired US Air Force Colonel, said to Trump: “You shut your phaaking face idiot over Comey or Mueller’s gonna get ya”. And Trump did what Graham ordered him to do. Trump doesn’t speak about Roosky no more…
Trump ain’t prez no more, folks. No need for a Limo for him…
I’d love to believe you’re right about the POTUS but he keeps ruining expectations…
Maybe you should look into the “vettings”…
Victim states first regular work day, after training, her manager, AGs sent messages that he’s in an open relationship, he doesn’t want to get at trouble at work but is looking to hook up with new partners …She thought it was very out of line so she took screenshots, which she still had and went to H.R….She stated H.R. said he’s a very high performer and her screenshots while clearly is sexual harassment was an “innocent mistake”. Worse they said they would give him a stern talking to but told her if you stay on the current team you’ll most likely receive a negative performance review which we can’t do anything about but you’re welcome to transfer to another team…She claims months later others reported his behavior and H.R. reported to every single victim that “this is his first offense”…All his victims (many have documented screenshots, the dude is so dumb to never learn from his mistakes) had a group meeting with H.R. and were essentially told nothing more would be done…
That’s “Do NOT hire this guy” stuff. Bad move, GM.
Know what’s even worse? “we extensively vetted him over the ongoing employment-related litigation and have no indication that he is implicated in the matter” Guess who’s on the cover of Time? His victim Susan Fowler…
AG is talented and most likely willing to work for a salary well below his skillset but this really is a black eye on Cruise and GM…The smarter move would be at the same time of his hire, announce that you hired at either Cruise of even GM corp a person or team to help victims of sexual harassment within the company…Best person for that job if you’re going to hire AG would be Susan Fowler…She has been an outspoken advocate for sexually harassed victims and helped promote a bipartisan bill that ends forced arbitration for sexual assaults…This should be a lesson to everyone, if you want to hire a “bad guy” you also hire at least one if not several “good guys”…
If this story goes viral, nearly guaranteed he won’t be there come 2018…
He will be gone before it goes viral, guaranteed.
Because it appears this story did NOT yet go viral, AG has already been at Cruise since the end of Sept according to various reports…However, now that Matt Lauer and Danny Masterson have been fired in recent weeks and that AG’s accuser Susan is on the cover of Time, perhaps there’s more heat on him…
Anyone recall this story? http://gmauthority.com/blog/2017/10/gm-cruise-said-to-be-weighing-ride-hailing-partnership-with-uber/ Announced in Oct, oddly reported only a few weeks after AG’s hiring…