The top candidate to become the chief financial officer for Uber is reportedly backing out, maintaining a roughly three-year vacancy for the role.

The withdrawal comes as the ride-sharing giant is trying to ready itself for a highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO).

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO, was set to hire Zane Rowe, the CFO of VMware, a cloud computing and software company. Rowe, however, is expected to turn down the job, according to The Wall Street Journal, leaving the board and investors eager to find a replacement.

The company hasn’t had someone assuming the official title of CFO since 2015, a critical leadership position for planning an IPO. (RELATED: Uber Lost A Whopping $1.46 Billion Last Quarter)

Before going through with the momentous action of placing one’s private company on the public stock market, Uber will have to get its finances in order as it reported a considerable loss of $4.5 billion in 2017.

Uber, which is still highly valuable despite some deficiencies and legal battles, also had other candidates pass on the executive post, like Laurence Tosi, formerly of Airbnb, reported The WSJ. (RELATED: Key Hire Could Make Uber’s Flying Car DreamsCome True)

Other contenders allegedly remain, but directors are apparently trying to urge Khosrowshahi to bring someone on quickly.

Uber did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment in time of publication.

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