Emil Michael is one of technology’s most highly regarded business executives, having built three successful companies: Tellme Networks (sold to Microsoft in 2007), Klout (sold to Lithium Technologies in 2014), and Uber.
During his tenure as Chief Business Officer at Uber, Michael led the company’s efforts in China and established its business-to-business offering known as ‘Uber for Business.’ He played a pivotal role in raising nearly 15 billion dollars in capital from investors globally and led the merger of Uber’s China operations with key competitor, Didi Chiuxing. He established international partnerships globally with companies including American Express, AT&T, Daimler, Tata Motors, and Toyota. Michael also facilitated several critical acquisitions that became the core of Uber’s Advanced Technology Group which developed Uber’s autonomous vehicle program. He is responsible for creating UberMilitary, a program aimed at providing preferred earning opportunities for active military and veterans resulting in over 50,000 current or former military members earning over $300 million as Uber driver-partners.
Before Uber, Mr. Michael was the Chief Operating Officer of Klout, where he was crucial in scaling the social media analytics company. Klout was sold to Lithium Technologies for approximately $200 million in 2014.
Before joining Klout, Michael served as a White House Fellow working for Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as a Special Assistant. During his tenure at the Pentagon, he ran projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, as well as implemented a department-wide budget-cutting effort aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing overhead, and streamlining bureaucracy.
Michael was also part of the early team of Tellme Networks, a pioneer in speech recognition technology, highly regarded for weathering the technology bust of 2000 and for building a sustainable and profitable business. Michael helped Tellme Networks raise over $250 million in venture capital and advanced its sale to Microsoft in 2007 for nearly $800 million.
Throughout his career, Michael has been a leadership coach and mentor to dozens of young CEOs, giving him extensive exposure to early-stage companies, technologies, and trends. He also serves as an advisor or investor in over 50 start-ups around the world, furthering his commitment to helping the next generation of entrepreneurs build, scale, and reach their potential. He began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he was an Associate in the Investment Banking Division from 1998 to 1999.
Michael received his B.A. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School and holds active membership on the Board of Directors of several high-profile private technology companies.
Michael, an avid supporter of the Innocence Project, serves on the board of Design Miami and is an advisory board member at Culture Shift Labs.
