Uber is a publicly traded company with no controlling owner. Dara Khosrowshahi has run it as CEO since 2017, but he holds a comparatively small personal stake — the real ownership sits with institutional investors and a notable sovereign wealth fund position.
The sovereign fund angle is worth knowing about specifically: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has been a major Uber shareholder since well before Khosrowshahi’s tenure, dating back to a $3.5 billion investment in 2016.
Quick Facts
| Company | Uber Technologies, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Ownership Type | Publicly traded (NYSE: UBER), no controlling owner |
| CEO | Dara Khosrowshahi (since 2017) |
| Largest Institutional Shareholder | The Vanguard Group (~9.3%) |
| Notable Individual/Sovereign Stakeholder | Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (~3.6%) |
| Founded | 2009 |
Ownership History
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick found Uber |
| 2016 | Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund invests $3.5 billion in Uber, becoming one of its largest shareholders |
| 2017 | Travis Kalanick resigns as CEO amid a string of controversies; Dara Khosrowshahi, formerly of Expedia, is named his successor |
| 2019 | Uber goes public on the NYSE |
| 2026 | Ownership remains broadly institutional, led by Vanguard, BlackRock, and Fidelity, with PIF-linked Yasir Al-Rumayyan among the largest individual stakeholders |
Key Ownership Highlights
- Neither of Uber’s co-founders retains a controlling stake today — Travis Kalanick sold down his position substantially after departing the company.
- Dara Khosrowshahi’s personal equity, including unvested awards, is estimated at roughly $500-700 million, meaningful wealth but a small fraction of overall company ownership.
- Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, represented by governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, has held a significant Uber stake since 2016, making it one of the more geopolitically notable positions in Big Tech shareholder registries.
FAQ
Does Dara Khosrowshahi own Uber?
No. He’s the CEO and holds a personal equity stake, but Uber is a publicly traded company owned collectively by its shareholders, led by institutional investors like Vanguard.
Does Saudi Arabia own part of Uber?
Yes, indirectly. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has held a significant Uber stake since a 2016 investment, and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan remains one of the largest individual shareholders.