Carrol Chang, the former global leader for drivers at Uber, has taken over as the new chief executive of the startup Andela, which was founded by Jeremy Johnson and others six years ago. After experiencing a surge in demand due to the remote work shift caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Andela’s business faced challenges as hiring demand decreased, leading to a slowdown in growth. However, Andela has seen a 15% increase in sales so far this fiscal year and has more than half of its recent $200 million funding round still available for use.
Chang, who played a key role in bringing drivers back to the Uber platform after the pandemic shutdowns, plans to apply a similar strategy at Andela. She aims to focus on improving user experience, communications, and technical support to enhance the interaction between the company’s corporate customers and contractors. Andela currently serves clients such as Cloudflare, Goldman Sachs, and ViacomCBS, with a pool of around 150,000 contractors, primarily in Africa and Latin America.
Founded originally as a talent accelerator and staffing provider, Andela shifted its focus away from running a training program and now operates as a direct marketplace connecting talent with corporate clients. The company prides itself on providing adaptive hiring services, leveraging AI to match skilled individuals with specific project needs in areas like machine learning and AI. Despite concerns over its historical take rate from contractors, Andela aims to create opportunities for qualified individuals globally while providing competitively priced work arrangements.
Andela’s mission of connecting brilliance with opportunity has attracted support from backers like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which sees the startup as a force for positive impact in the global job market. Under Chang’s leadership, Andela plans to leverage technology to drive further growth and innovation in the outsourcing and contract talent space. While Andela has faced challenges and changes in its business model over the years, it aims to remain a key player in the marketplace for remote technical talent.
As Andela looks to expand its reach and impact in the outsourcing industry, Chang’s experience in scaling operations and her focus on driving positive change align with the startup’s goals. With Johnson stepping back from a full-time role within the company but continuing to provide support as a board member, Andela is poised for growth under new leadership. The combination of technology, talent, and strategic vision positions Andela for success in the evolving landscape of remote work and the demand for specialized technical skills.
