Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle and a close friend of Elon Musk, publicly defended Musk during a 2018 analyst meeting shortly after joining Tesla’s board. He spoke highly of Musk’s accomplishments, particularly highlighting the success of SpaceX’s rocket landings, asking rhetorically, “Who else is landing rockets?”
Ellison shifted blame for Tesla’s challenges away from Musk and instead pointed the finger at Panasonic, one of the company’s key battery suppliers. He also criticized the media for its harsh scrutiny of Musk’s behavior, including the fallout from Musk’s 2018 tweets that led to a lawsuit by the SEC.
However, critics argue that Ellison’s support may have overlooked legitimate concerns about Musk’s leadership. They suggest his defense fits within a broader anti-establishment narrative shared by both men, especially considering Ellison’s $1 billion investment to support Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022.
Boeing’s outgoing CEO, Dave Calhoun, earned $32.8 million in 2023 a 45% increase from his $22.6 million compensation in 2022 despite the company’s ongoing safety issues and financial challenges.
The aerospace giant has been under intense scrutiny following two fatal crashes involving its 737 MAX aircraft in 2018 and 2019, which claimed 346 lives. More recently, in January 2024, a door plug blew out mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, prompting federal investigations by the FAA and contributing to a 30% drop in Boeing’s stock price.
Following the Alaska Airlines incident, Calhoun declined a $2.8 million bonus but is still set to retire by the end of 2024 with a potential exit package worth up to $45 million.
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, says he’s done with remote work. He believes it no longer works for his business and wants employees back in the office.
For Dimon, in-person teamwork is key to productivity, mentoring, and keeping the company culture strong. He says the banking world depends on that energy, and you can’t get it through screens.
While others push flexible work, Dimon stands firm—returning to the office isn’t optional, it’s essential.
You find yourself torn between giving up and going back to what’s familiar, and not giving up because you—and the people around you—believed in yourself.
It’s in that moment, what decision you make decides your destiny.
