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Uber poaches senior Target executive to lead global operations

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Uber Technologies Inc has poached US retailer Target’s chief marketing officer Jeff Jones to help lead the growing ride-services company and reshape its image.

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Jones will be joining the San-Francisco, California-based ride-sharing company as a deputy to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Travis Kalanick, thus would oversee the core operations at the company. He will be replacing Ryan Graves, and will be responsible for handling major divisions including operations, marketing, and customer support globally.

CIOL Uber poaches Senior Target Executiveto Lead Global Operations

The hire underscores efforts by Uber, which has become the dominant on-demand ride service, to bolster its reputation and brand. Since 2009, the company has aggressively expanded to more than 450 cities, at times steamrolling regulators and launching campaigns against local lawmakers.

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Jones joined Target in 2012 to rejuvenate its brand and is credited with modernizing the retailer's marketing efforts. He led campaigns including #MoreMusic, under which Target partnered with singer Gwen Stefani for a live video that aired during the Grammy Awards and released exclusive tracks from artists such as Adele, part of an effort to burnish Target's cool image.

Prior to that, Jones led marketing for Gap and worked for Coca-Cola and advertising firm McKinney.

Kalanick said in a blog post that he and Jones met in February and "within minutes we were debating how Uber could improve its reputation." “It’s super clear to me that Jeff understands scale, operational excellence, innovation and storytelling—and that he’s up for learning and testing his limits. Most of all I love Jeff’s optimism about, and enthusiasm for, our mission,” he added.

Ryan Graves, who was Uber’s first hire and is a member of the company’s board will continue to be integrally involved as a resident entrepreneur and builder. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick points out that Graves will now also be overlooking the company’s People Operations and help Jason Droege build uber EVERYTHING (EATS, RUSH and others). He will also work closely with Kalanick on a series of “upcoming strategic projects“.

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