Ryan Graves (born 1983) is an American billionaire and technology executive best known as the first CEO of Uber, the ride-hailing company. He joined the company in February 2010 as its first employee, served as CEO during its early launch phase, and later held the role of chief operating officer (COO). Graves subsequently became an investor and board member for several companies, and he currently leads Saltwater, his family office focused on technology investments.
Early Life and Education
Graves was born in San Diego, California, and grew up near the beach. He attended Horizon Christian Academy, where he competed on the high school surf team. In 2006, he graduated from Miami University in Ohio with a degree in economics. During his time at Miami University, he was a member of the water polo club team and the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Career at Uber
Before Uber, Graves worked at General Electric. He also secured an internship at Foursquare by pretending to work for the company after they had turned him down for a job. In February 2010, Graves became Uber's first employee after responding to a Twitter post by Travis Kalanick with the message "here's a tip. email me :)". He started as general manager and was named CEO shortly after the launch. In December 2010, Kalanick succeeded Graves as CEO, and Graves transitioned to the role of chief operating officer. By 2019, Graves owned 31.9 million shares in Uber. That year, he resigned from Uber's board of directors.
Investment and Board Roles
In 2018, Graves founded Saltwater, his family office, to manage investments in technology businesses. In February 2021, he made a $50 million investment in Metromile, a pay-per-mile auto insurer, and joined its board of directors. Lemonade completed its acquisition of Metromile in July 2022, after which Metromile became a wholly owned subsidiary under the name Metromile, LLC. Graves also serves on the board of directors of Charity: Water and Pachama, organizations focused on clean water and environmental conservation, respectively.
Personal Life
Graves is married to Molly Graves, his college sweetheart and a kindergarten teacher. They have four children, all sons, and live on the island of Kauaʻi, Hawaii. He is a supporter of the San Diego Padres baseball team. Graves has pledged at least 1% of his net worth to Charity: Water, which delivers clean water solutions to people in developing nations.
Legacy and Impact
Graves' early role at Uber helped shape the company's initial operations and growth. His transition from CEO to COO and later to investor reflects a career spanning operational leadership and venture capital. Through Saltwater, he continues to invest in emerging technology sectors, including Artificial intelligence and Machine learning startups, aligning with broader trends in Generative AI and Deep learning. His board memberships at Charity: Water and Pachama highlight a commitment to social and environmental causes.