Grab’s CTO for its core tech and transport business steps down

Mark Porter, Grab‘s chief technology officer for its core technologies and transport business, has stepped down from the role.

In an emailed statement to Tech in Asia, Porter said that while working for Singapore-based Grab has been “an opportunity of a lifetime,” he left the company to move closer to his family in the US.

Grab’s ex-CTO Mark Porter / Photo credit: Grab

With that, he has taken up the same role for US-based database program MongoDB, where he had been serving as a board member since February this year.

“Grab has some of the best tech talent and leaders I’ve had the privilege to work with, and my time here has only reinforced my belief in the company, the mission, and the ultimate success of Grab,” Porter added.

With his exit, Grab’s tech leadership team now consists of deliveries and ads CTO Suthen Thomas, Grab Financial Group CTO Vikas Agrawal, and Jerald Singh, group head of product, design, and analytics.

“We are sad to see Mark go and are grateful for his contributions to Grab. We will stay the course with our ambitions, focusing on using our platform and tech to find ways for even the smallest micro-entrepreneur or business to improve their livelihoods,” said Grab co-founder Hooi Ling Tan.

Grab did not specify whether there will be an immediate replacement for Porter.

The now ex-CTO joined Grab in 2018 to help lead the startup’s tech teams across Singapore, Seattle, Beijing, Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Romania, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jakarta.

His exit from the company comes more than a year after Theo Vassilakis relinquished his position as Grab group CTO. (Vassilakis remains an advisor to the company.)