10 Things You Didn’t Know About Deliveroo CEO Will Shu

Will Shu is an American business. He is the co-founder and CEO of Deliveroo, which is an online food delivery company. Currently, Deliveroo operates in 12 countries and more than 200 cities. Since founding the company in 2013, Will Shu has become increasingly well-known in business circles due to the phenomenal success of his company. Despite many people knowing who he is, there are still many things that people do not know about this businessman. Here are 10 things that you did not know about Will Shu.

1. He is a British-Based American

According to Wikipedia, Will Shu was born in Connecticut in December 1979. His parents are Taiwanese. Although he was born in the United States, he is now based full-time in the UK, and he has a home in the Notting Hill area of London.

2. He Has an MBA

Shu studied for a bachelor’s degree at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He then began his career, which involved him working in both New York City and in London. When he returned to the United States in 2010, he decided to attend business school. In 2012, he received an MBA from Wharton Business School.

3. Shu Worked in the Finance Sector

Prior to founding Deliveroo, Will Shu was working in the finance sector. According to People Pill, Shu once worked for S.A.C. Capital Advisors as an economic analyst. He also worked as an investment banker for Morgan Stanley, which was his first job when he began his career in 2001. His background in finance and business gave him sound experience for founding his own company.

4. Working Late Nights Was the Inspiration Behind Deliveroo

While working for Morgan Stanley in London, Will Shu would often become hungry at his desk while working late nights. It struck him that there was a lack of options when it came to having food delivered. It was this situation that inspired him to co-found Deliveroo. He founded the business in 2013 with his childhood friend Greg Orlowski, who was a software engineer. While Shu took on the role of CEO, Orlowski was the Chief Technology Officer. Orlowski quit the company in February 2016 to spend more time with his new wife after their daughter’s birth, and he returned home to Chicago.

5. Shu Was the First Deliveroo Delivery Driver

While starting up his business, Will Shu believed that it was important to have a full understanding of the business at every level. Therefore, he became the company’s first delivery driver in London. For the first eight months after the company was founded, he delivered food around London every day. It helped him to understand the practicalities of his delivery service, and it also gave him an insight into the customer experience.

6. He Continues to Have a Hands-On Approach to His Company

Even though Deliveroo is now a hugely successful company, Will Shu prefers to continue with a hands-on approach to his business. Instead of simply running the business from his office, he likes to get involved with the day-to-day tasks of the company. Therefore, he continues to work shifts as a Deliveroo driver. As he lives in London, he takes on one of the London delivery shifts every few weeks. Doing so means he has an insight into all aspects of his business.

7. Shu Gave Himself a Controversial Pay Rise

The business model and operations of Deliveroo came under scrutiny in 2019. According to The Guardian, Will Shu awarded himself a whopping 57 percent pay rise plus millions in stock options. Many other members of the management team were also given pay raises and stock options. Shu made this decision despite the company making a loss and despite a strike of the delivery drivers. At Deliveroo, the drivers are self-employed and are not guaranteed minimum wage, sick pay, or holiday pay.

8. He Loves Nando Chicken Thighs

Due to the nature of his business, Will Shu is clearly passionate about food. Like everyone, he has his personal favorites. In an interview with iNews, Shu said that one of his favorite places from which he orders food is Nandos and that he always orders the chicken thighs. He prefers the thighs to breast meat because he finds breast meat a little dry. Shu also orders chicken from Cococette, which is close to his home. He orders various other types of cuisine from local restaurants in Notting Hill. His favorite Chinese restaurant is Bamboo Flute, and he loves Indian food from Motu.

9. He Doesn’t Want to Compete with Uber Eats

The ride-hailing company Uber has now expanded its services into the food delivery sector with Uber Eats. Although Shu admits that Uber Eats is an amazing company, he says that Uber is trying to focus on lots of different things. He said Deliveroo is different because they care deeply about food, and it is the only thing his company is focusing on. Shu does not intend to expand his food delivery business into different areas of delivery, such as medication or clothes purchase drop-offs. Instead, he wants to stay focused on what he knows his company is already doing well.

10. Shu Promotes a Casual Working Environment

Will Shu believes in creating a casual working environment as he gets the best out of his staff if they are happy at work. According to The Evenings Standard, there is a very relaxed vibe in the Deliveroo headquarters, and even Shu hangs around in chinos and a T-shirt. The staff dress casually and fistbump each other as they pass on the corridors. There is a leisure area with a basketball court, and Jaegermeister is available for the staff. Even the meeting table is a casual affair, as it has swinging seats instead of chairs.

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