Uber tapped ex-Orbitz boss Barney Harford to be its new COO

Uber appointed ex-Orbitz boss Barney Harford as its new chief operating officer on Wednesday, adding a trusted pair of hands to new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's top ranks as he moves to revamp the scandal-plagued startup.

Harford previously worked under Khosrowshahi at Expedia.

"I have never met a stronger operator or a more thoughtful strategist than Barney," Khosrowshahi said in a memo to Uber employees on Wednesday.

Harford, who has been advising Uber since October, will report to Khosrowshahi and be responsible for global operations, marketing, and customer support for both the ridesharing business and the food delivery business, UberEats.

The appointment comes after a rollercoaster year for Uber that saw the San Francisco headquartered company under the spotlight for scandal after scandal. The controversies caused a significant turnover in Uber's senior management team, including the departure of Uber cofounder Travis Kalanick from the CEO job.

Khosrowshahi, the former CEO of Expedia, joined Uber in August and has been methodically filling vacant roles at the company and charting a new course.

Harford, who is also on the board of United Airlines, will step into the role of COO in January.

Here is the email Khosrowshahi sent to Uber staff on Wednesday:

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