Then, some believe, Cohler made a miscalculation. The Benchmark partner gave the table an ultimatum: If the board voted for Whitman, Benchmark would drop its lawsuit against Kalanick. It read to the room as an ultimatum. This was the price of peace. For once, Kalanick wasn’t the only one who directors felt was acting childish. Cohler’s brinksmanship dismayed almost everyone in the room. Instead of following a fair process to determine the best candidate, Benchmark was effectively holding the board hostage to approve the candidate of their choice. Cohler’s speech may have cost Whitman the job.
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