From Iran to Uber CEO | Nikhil Kamath x Dara Khosrowshahi | People by WTF | Ep. 14

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

August 24, 2025

Duration

1h 32m

Channel

Nikhil Kamath

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Building the next Uber in India? Dara shares lessons on competition, EVs, quick commerce, and how he helped build Uber through chaos. #NikhilKamath - Investor & Entrepreneur Twitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/ #DaraKhosrowshahi - CEO, Uber Twitter: https://x.com/dkhos LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dara-khosrowshahi-70949862/ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Dara’s visits to India 01:58 - Uber’s Indian competitors 04:42 - Growing up in Iran 10:47 - Dara on religion & spirituality 16:40 - From Iran to US 19:54 - Key lesson from Barry Diller 28:05 - How AI can reinvent travel 32:12 - Dara’s vision for fixing travel 34:50 - Decoding taste from data 36:48 - What Uber really represents 38:48 - Selling Uber Eats to Zomato 42:10 - Opportunities in mobility, delivery & quick commerce 44:32 - Authenticity & collaboration 49:26 - David vs. Goliath: Uber’s image strategy 53:29 - Team rivalry: strategy or risk? 55:59 - DoorDash vs. Uber 57:24 - Why India matters to Uber 58:31 - Opportunity vs. TAM 1:01:50 - Why quick commerce hasn’t taken off in the US 1:05:15 - Autonomous vehicles vs. drivers 1:10:02 - AVs & Indian roads 1:12:39 - Data challenges 1:13:29 - Cooking automation & the future of dining 1:17:36 - Building brands without ads 1:20:27 - Labour costs & immigration policies 1:21:03 - China’s incredible EVs 1:24:51 - The EV slowdown 1:26:48 - Will Uber become a super app? 1:29:39 - What would Dara build today? Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4nsm4ezn Watch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/yme92c59 Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th #WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Nikhil Kamath

  host

• Dara Khosrowshahi

  guest

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Nikhil Kamath, featuring Nikhil Kamath and Dara Khosrowshahi, From Iran to Uber CEO | Nikhil Kamath x Dara Khosrowshahi | People by WTF | Ep. 14 explores Uber CEO Dara on leadership, markets, AI, and mobility’s future Dara Khosrowshahi traces his path from a privileged childhood in pre-revolution Iran to rebuilding life in the US, then rising from investment banking to leading Expedia and later Uber.

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