[Leadership Rewind] David Risher: Lyft’s CEO is Driving Change – and Always Has

Jan 2

[Leadership Rewind] David Risher: Lyft’s CEO is Driving Change – and Always Has

In this episode: We first met Lyft CEO David Risher one year ago when he joined us for a free-wheeling discussion about growing and sustaining a culture of play in corporate America. Listen in as he reveals that his time running an international nonprofit was great preparation for leading the global ride share company – and try to guess which one he declares more playful!

As we step into the expected challenges of 2025, examples of valiant and generous leadership will be more needed than ever. No better way to start than with a CEO who regularly swaps the proverbial drivers seat for the real one, getting behind the wheel to learn about the job from driver and customer perspective.

Listen in as Kristine and David discuss:

How David regularly drives for Lyft to learn, not to earn, as he connects with his riders.
The biggest surprise of being the CEO of Lyft.
The similarities and differences of being the CEO in the nonprofit social sector versus the corporate sector.
Balancing seriousness and playfulness when handling large-scale problems.
The surprising correlation between Lyft rides and ice cream (including the positive impact it has on tipping).
How Lyft is helping to fight the loneliness epidemic.

Key Takeaways:

Being CEO is about the same thing no matter the size and scope of your organization. It is all about having a big idea, building your team, solving hard problems, improving people’s lives, and working with purpose.
Lyft has many programs that are helping to benefit society and strengthen its social mission. Transportation is key to so many aspects of living and societal change.
What matters most is doing the right thing for the world.
Reading is a superpower! It helps us, as humans, to connect and share knowledge across time and space.

"It’s really important that you live your life to do the right thing, whatever that looks like." — David Risher

About David Risher:

David Risher is the Chief Executive Officer of Lyft, Inc., and leads the business in improving the lives of millions of riders and drivers. He was named CEO in March 2023, after serving as a member of the Lyft Board of Directors since 2021. David has more than three decades of technology and leadership experience across public companies and non-profit organizations. In 2009, David co-founded Worldreader, a non-profit organization that has helped 21 million people read, and served as its Chief Executive Officer until 2023. He still serves on the Worldreader Board as Founding Chair. Prior to Worldreader, David served as Senior Vice President, US Retail at Amazon.com, Inc. where he helped build the company to $4 billion in sales. Prior to joining Amazon, he was a General Manager at Microsoft Corporation. David currently serves on the Boards of Directors of a number of privately held and non-profit organizations. David holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and an honorary doctorate from Wilson College.

David and his wife, author Jennifer Risher, lead #HalfMyDAF, an organization that has helped give away over $30 million to nonprofits with the goal of inspiring others to give more. They live in San Francisco.

A favorite book of fiction: The Every by Dave Eggers – a cautionary tale of technology and our future. A favorite book of nonfiction: We Need to Talk: A Memoir About Wealth which explores the impact wealth has had on his family.

Connect with David:

Website: https://www.lyft.com/

Website: https://www.halfmydaf.com/

Website: https://www.worldreader.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdavidrisher

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidrisher

Find out more about the Lyft Up Initiatives here: https://www.lyft.com/lyftup/programs

Read more Lyft’s Impact in 2023 here: https://www.lyft.com/blog/posts/2023-economic-impact-report

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