Uber signs up former policy-makers for new board

Uber today announced that it has enlisted high-profile former policy-makers from around the world to form a public policy board, as the company pushes back on regulatory restrictions of the startup.

Board met for the first time this week

The board includes Roberto Daniño, former Peruvian prime minister; Ray LaHood, former United States secretary of transportation; and Neelie Kroes, former vice president of the European Commission. The eight-person board met for the first time this week, Uber said in an announcement. Bloomberg reports that the board members will be compensated through equity in the company.

As Uber points out in its announcement, governments around the world have already made decisions on how to regulate the startup, but many still haven't. (Uber's modus operandi has often been to move into a city first, setting the stage for a regulatory battle to follow.) The company's new braintrust is one way to navigate future policy disputes.

"As ridesharing continues to grow, we look forward to the Board's candid advice and insights," writes David Plouffe, Uber's chief advisor, who also worked as a strategist on Barack Obama's 2008 campaign.

• SourceUber (Medium)