Ryan Graves (businessman)
Ryan Graves (born 1983) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the founder and CEO of Saltwater, an investment holding company, and previously was the CEO, then SVP of Global Operations at Uber, where he was also a board director until 2019. Early life. Graves was born in San Diego, California. An avid surfer, he grew up competing for his high school surf team at Horizon Christian Academy. Graves graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a degree in Economics. Career. Graves served as Uber's CEO and General Manager from February 2010 to December 2010 , when his CEO role was replaced by one of Uber's founders Travis Kalanick. After that he served as the SVP of Global Operations at Uber until August 10, 2017. He was often referred to as 'No. 2' and was very close to Uber's former CEO Kalanick. He was on the board of directors of the company until 10 days after the IPO. In 2018, Graves announced his firm Saltwater, an investment company, focused on majority acquisitions of technology businesses. Philanthropy. Graves and his wife, Molly, are supporters of which focuses on delivering clean water solutions to people in  developing nations. Graves serves on the Board of Directors and has found innovative ways to contribute philanthropically giving stock so the organization's employees could also share in the upside. Donating philanthropically, according to Business Insider, was one of Graves' first acts after the Uber IPO. Personal life. Graves is married, with four children, and lives on the island of Kaua'i, Hawaii.