Uber running into big trouble with quiet investor

San Francisco

FOR the past week, Uber's board members have been embroiled in conversations over a thorny question: what to do about Benchmark, the venture capital firm that is one of the ride-hailing company's largest shareholders.

While Benchmark had long supported Uber's management, the investor had recently turned against the company's top echelons. In June, Benchmark helped oust Uber's co-founder, Travis Kalanick, as chief executive. Recently, the firm escalated its actions against Mr Kalanick by suing him for fraud and saying he should be removed from Uber's board. Then, last Monday, Benchmark published an open letter to Uber employees intimating that the company had dark secrets that had not been revealed.