Andela Appoints Former Uber Exec as CEO Amid Renewed Growth Efforts

Andela, the tech talent marketplace once valued at $1.5 billion, has appointed Carrol Chang, a former global leader at Uber, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Chang takes the helm during a pivotal moment as the company seeks to revitalize growth after facing several challenges in recent years.

Founded a decade ago by Jeremy Johnson and a group of Africa-based entrepreneurs, Andela originally focused on training and placing junior developers in U.S. Entertainmentes. The company gained momentum during the pandemic, when remote work surged in popularity. In 2021, Andela raised $200 million in a Series E funding round led by SoftBank, boosting its valuation to $1.5 billion. However, as interest rates rose and demand for remote work subsided, the company's rapid growth plateaued.

Despite these setbacks, Andela has managed to achieve moderate revenue growth. Over the past five years, sales have doubled, and this fiscal year alone, the company reported a 15% increase in revenue. The rise of generative AI and a sustained demand for flexible talent have played a role in Andela's ongoing relevance, leaving the company with significant unused capital from its last funding round.

Chang’s appointment marks a new chapter for Andela. At Uber, she was instrumental in building a robust driver and courier network, which expanded significantly during the pandemic. She now aims to bring a similar customer-focused approach to Andela, enhancing its talent marketplace by addressing the needs of both Entertainmentes and contractors.

Under Chang's leadership, Andela will continue connecting a global pool of skilled professionals with corporate clients such as Cloudflare and Goldman Sachs. Operating as a direct marketplace, Andela links contractors with Entertainmentes while also providing software to monitor performance. Chang and Johnson, who will remain on Andela’s board, believe the company’s adaptive hiring model will gain importance as companies increasingly seek specialized AI-related skills.

However, Andela’s model has faced criticism, particularly from workers in Africa, who liken it to Uber’s contractor-based approach. Concerns around fair compensation and equitable opportunities remain at the forefront of discussions. Both Chang and Johnson are committed to addressing these issues while positioning Andela as a leader in the evolving talent marketplace.

The company’s success moving forward will depend on Chang’s ability to steer Andela through this transition, leveraging technology to create impactful changes in global hiring practices. With Johnson staying involved as a board member, his continued commitment underscores Andela’s ambition to succeed in this new phase.