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☆ Elon Musk's former lieutenant who once slept on the floor in Twitter's office attended this year's Burning Man — and says it was 'totally bonkers' trying to get out
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Esther Crawford said she had a "totally bonkers exit" from mud that stranded many at Burning Man. The ex-Twitter director said despite the rain the event was "exactly what I needed." Crawford went viral last year for sleeping at Twitter's headquarters amid Elon Musk's takeover. Organizers at Burning Man began letting attendees leave the site on Monday afternoon after it told festivalgoers to shelter in place and conserve resources following flooding in the desert. Crawford said on Instagram that she attends the event every year because its "full of extremes" that forge deep relationships.

Persons: Esther Crawford, Crawford, Elon Musk's, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, Kimbal Organizations: Elon, Service, Twitter, Man, Black Rock City Locations: Wall, Silicon, Black Rock

☆ Sergey Brin and Elon Musk's brother, Kimbal, spotted at Burning Man as attendees struggled to deal with swampy, chaotic conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's brother, Kimbal Musk, and Google cofounder Sergey Brin have been spotted at Burning Man. Two of the biggest tech camps have been severely flooded, attendees told WSJ. Another tech founder said they abandoned their luggage and waded through ankle-deep mud. AdvertisementAdvertisementElon Musk's brother, Kimbal Musk, and Google cofounder Sergey Brin have been spotted at Burning Man as attendees continue to battle chaotic conditions. Another tech founder said she had to ditch her luggage and wade through ankle-deep mud.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Kimbal, Sergey Brin, Brock Pierce, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Elizabeth Holmes, Google cofounders Brin, Larry Page, Eric Schmidt, Brin Organizations: Wall Street, Rock City, Meta, Google, Musk Locations: Rock

☆ Elon Musk says his daughter who ditched his last name 'doesn't want to spend time with me'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk was "pained" by the fallout with his eldest daughter, his biographer wrote in a new book. Musk told Walter Isaacson that his daughter "doesn't want to spend time with me." Musk's daughter legally changed her name in 2022 and said she didn't want to be associated with him. AdvertisementAdvertisement"She went beyond socialism to being a full communist and thinking that anyone rich is evil," Isaacson said Musk told him. The biographer said Musk told him he'd "made many overtures," but "she doesn't want to spend time with me."

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Walter Isaacson, doesn't, Elon, Walter Isaacson . Isaacson, Vivian Jenna Wilson, Jenna, Isaacson, Elon's, Nevada, Justine Wilson, Ashlee Vance, didn't, Tesla, he'd, transphobic, Musk's, Grimes, Wired, Kimbal, Christiana Musk Organizations: Morning, New York Times, Financial, Reuters, Twitter, Pride, Wired Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Elon Musk's brother's 'smart farm' startup is shutting down most of its locations and gutting its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Square Roots told staff it was closing most of its locations and cutting jobs, two former staff said. Square Roots told local news it plans to reconfigure some locations and may eventually re-open them. Elon Musk's brother, Kimbal, cofounded Square Roots alongside CEO Tobias Peggs in 2016. "It was just a normal day," the former Grand Rapids employee said of the latest layoffs and farm closures announced Tuesday. "It was quite abrupt and has been very devastating to this wonderful team of people," the former Grand Rapids employee said.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Elon Musk, David Sack's, Tobias Peggs, Kimbal Musk, WDRB, couldn't, Kimbal, Bauer, Griffin, Slack, Peggs, Getty, DON EMMERT, that's, we've Organizations: Roots, Morning, Gordon Food Service, David Sack's Craft Ventures, Kenosha News, Grand, Axelle, Grand Rapids, Gordon Food Services, Employees Locations: Grand Rapids, Pitchbook, Springfield , Ohio, Shepherdsville , Kentucky, Kenosha , Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Brooklyn, Kenosha, New York, Michigan

☆ Tesla's board of directors will return $735 million on claims they were overpaid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla directors are returning $735 million to the company to settle a suit that claims they were overpaid. That includes $458.6 million in company shares and $276.6 million in cash, per court filings. That totals to around $735 million, consisting of $458.6 million in company shares and $276.6 million in cash. The $735 million settlement stems from a 2020 lawsuit, wherein Detroit's Police and Fire Retirement System accused Tesla's board members of overpaying themselves in the form of stock options from 2017 to 2020. Tesla directors denied those claims, arguing that the company saw rapid growth sent the stock soaring.

Persons: Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Rupert Murdoch's, James Murdoch, Elon Musk's, Kimbal Musk –, Tesla's, Tesla Organizations: Elon, Service, Oracle, Delaware Chancery, Reuters, Detroit's Police Locations: Wall, Silicon, Delaware

☆ A Tesla board member once locked Elon Musk's phone in a safe to keep him off Twitter. The billionaire forced hotel security to open it, biographer says.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Grace Kay | Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Antonio Gracias once locked Elon Musk's phone in a hotel safe, biographer Walter Isaacson said. The move by the Tesla board member was meant to stop Musk from tweeting late into the night. Musk got hotel security to unlock the safe around 3 a.m., Isaacson said. Tesla board member and close Musk confidant Antonio Gracias once took Musk's phone away to prevent him from tweeting late into the night, Isaacson said during a Twitter Spaces event on Wednesday. Musk later got hotel security to open the safe at around 3 a.m. so he could start tweeting again, Isaacson said.

Persons: Antonio Gracias, Elon, Walter Isaacson, Tesla, Musk, Isaacson, Elon Musk's, aren't, Antonio, Elon couldn't, tweeting, " Isaacson, Twitter, —, Kimbal Musk, Gracias, Ron Baron, Baron, Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos Organizations: Morning, Twitter, Securities and Exchange Commission, Amazon Locations: British

☆ Fireworks Have a New Competitor: Drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Lauren Hirsch | Michael J. De La Merced | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Like many in the fireworks industry, Stephen Vitale is in the family business. In October, he struck a surprising alliance with Nova Sky Stories, the drone company that Kimbal Musk acquired from Intel. Increasingly, drones are lighting up skybound entertainment shows. Drone shows are in some ways the newer, hipper brand of fireworks. Fireworks providers like Vitale face a tough decision: Invest in the expensive equipment and regulatory clearance required to get into the drone business, or believe that demand for fireworks will remain steady even as a new type of competition skyrockets.

Persons: Stephen Vitale, Kimbal Musk, King Charles III, Vitale Organizations: Nova Sky, Kimbal, Intel, Allied Market Research, Invest Locations: New, Pa

☆ Elon Musk's sister says she has been overcharged because she shares a last name with the world's richest man
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tosca Musk told the Daily Mail she was given an inflated price for a film location because of her last name. Elon Musk's sister says she's been overcharged because she shares a surname with the world's richest man. Tosca Musk told the Daily Mail the family weren't "born rich". From left to right: Tosca Musk, Kimbal Musk, their mother Maye Musk, and Elon Musk Courtesy of Maye MuskTosca Musk is a filmmaker and the CEO and founder of Passionflix, a streaming service and production company for romantic movies. Representatives for Tosca Musk did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Tosca Musk, she's, Kimbal Musk, Tosca, Maye Musk, Elon Musk, Bernard Arnault, Jeff Bezos Organizations: Daily Mail, Elon, SpaceX, Tesla, Amazon, Bloomberg

☆ ISS recommends Tesla investors vote against re-election of board chair
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Tesla Inc FollowSAN FRANCISCO, May 3 (Reuters) - Proxy advisory firm ISS on Wednesday recommended Tesla investors vote against the re-election of board chair Robyn Denholm, citing concerns about a lack of scrutiny of the pledging of some company stocks by CEO Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal Musk. Tesla shares are down about 60% from their record high reached in November 2021. The shares pledged by Elon Musk accounted for 58% of his Tesla ownership, ISS said. ISS recommended votes for Musk and co-founder JB Straubel as board members. Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis last month recommended Tesla shareholders vote against Straubel, citing worries about his independence because he served as chief technology officer at Tesla until 2019.

☆ ISS recommends Tesla investors vote against re-election of Robyn Denholm
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Tesla Inc FollowSAN FRANCISCO, May 3 (Reuters) - Proxy advisory firm ISS on Wednesday recommended Tesla investors vote against re-election of board chair Robyn Denholm, citing concerns about a lack of the board's oversight over the pledging of some company stocks by CEO Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal Musk. "Pledging does inherently pose risks to ordinary shareholders, and the likelihood of a forced sale of pledged shares increases at a time when the share price (and therefore the value of the collateral) is already declining," ISS said in a report. "The aggregate value of the pledged position, as well as the likelihood of further increases, raise significant concerns," it said. Musk did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Microsoft, Kimbal Musk, NBA's Russell Westbrook invest in Brooklyn-based climate tech company BlocPower
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The round, which includes more than $24 million in Series B funding, was led by VoLo Earth Ventures. Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Credit Suisse, New York State Ventures, Kimbal and Christina Musk, and NBA player Russell Westbrook also were part of this equity round. The company also raised $130 million of debt financing led by Goldman Sachs, bringing BlocPower's total capital raised to-date to more than $250 million. BlocPower, a two-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company, has focused on improving the energy consumption and efficiency issues that many of the old buildings in the U.S. face. Since its founding in 2014, BlocPower says it has completed energy projects in more than 5,000 households, commercial buildings and houses of worship.

☆ Meet Maye Musk, the Sports Illustrated cover model and the glamorous mother of one of the richest men in the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Despite her support for her children, Maye Musk has been a celebrity in her own right for decades. Maye Musk Maye Musk attended the Met gala with Elon Musk last year. "They followed their passions, and they all went in different directions," Maye Musk told Insider in a 2020 interview. Elon Musk, in particular, had tried his hardest in school, but only in the subjects he liked, Maye Musk said. Even at 14 years old, Maye Musk said Elon Musk had shown a passion for investing.

Musk's Aug. 7, 2018 tweets sent Tesla stock soaring and after they fell back down, shareholders sued, alleging they lost money. But board members James Murdoch and Ira Ehrenpreis each said the tweets did not need to be vetted by the company before Musk sent them because he had done so in his individual capacity. The stock price soared after the tweet and then fell as it became clear the buyout would not happen. Tesla shareholders say they lost billions of dollars on their investments in stocks and other securities of the company. The buyout deal never came together because investors, particularly retail shareholders, expressed their interest in keeping the company public, according to testimony by Musk.

Companies Tesla Inc FollowFeb 1 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) board members are expected to take the stand on Wednesday to defend against claims that Elon Musk misled investors when he tweeted in 2018 he had "funding secured" to take the company private. The trial in San Francisco federal court is testing whether the world's second-richest person can be held liable for his sometimes impulsive use of Twitter. The defendants, which include Musk, Tesla, and current and former directors, are expected to begin calling witnesses on Wednesday. Current Tesla directors Kimbal Musk, and James Murdoch and Ira Ehrenpreis may testify about their communications with Musk about his proposed buyout, according to court documents. Musk told the jury last week he could have financed the potential deal from existing Tesla investors as well as Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund.

☆ What Elon Musk has said publicly — and in private texts — on his ideas for Twitter and X, an 'everything app'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Elon Musk has discussed his plans for X, an "everything app," on Twitter and in private texts. AP Photo/Jacquelyn MartinPrivate texts about a blockchain-based platformMusk has also discussed creating a social media platform built on a blockchain. In April, the billionaire privately outlined his idea for a "Doge" social media platform in texts to his younger brother, Kimbal Musk. "I have an idea for a blockchain social media system that does both payments and short text messages/links like Twitter," Musk texted. Shortly after buying Twitter, Musk began charging Twitter users for the app's blue check mark.

☆ Elon Musk is surrounded by yes-men, and it's a recipe for disaster: 'The emperor has no clothes, but everybody's too afraid to tell him'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Experts told Insider Elon Musk's close business relationships is a "recipe for disaster." Experts told Insider it's not surprising that the second-richest man in the world would be taken aback by public criticism. Across his companies, Musk also appears to have built up a slew of allies. Similarly, at Twitter, Musk has also brought in some of his personal associates to assist in the transition. 'Speak truth to power'It can be very difficult to "speak truth to power," Nawaz told Insider, saying it's important for CEOs to create "psychologically safe" environments.

☆ Elon Musk's brother Kimbal says there's a 'lack of appreciation' for Twitter's 'awesome' mute button
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's brother said there's a "lack of appreciation" for Twitter's "awesome" mute button. Kimbal Musk spoke about his love of the feature in a Twitter Space on Friday with Lex Fridman. They discussed ways of improving Twitter and Kimbal Musk said the mute button was "underused." During the Twitter Space, Kimbal Musk also said he loved the "entertaining side of Twitter," and wished there was more of it. Kimbal Musk concluded: "Man, how do we get more of that?"

☆ Tosca Musk, Elon’s sister, has a business venture of her own – and it’s all about romance and female sexuality
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Faith Karimi Cnn Photographs Austin Steele | Faith Karimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

It’s their first public film premiere since the pandemic started. Musk, 48, is the force behind Passionflix, which adapts romance novels into movies and streams them to a devoted niche audience. “Passionflix focuses on adapting romance novels exactly as the fan and the author envision it,” Musk says in a separate CNN interview. From left to right: Tosca Musk, Kimbal Musk, mother Maye Musk and Elon Musk at Maye's 50th birthday party in 1998. One of the founding members, she says she spent the pandemic years curled up on her couch, watching Passionflix movies.

☆ Elon Musk’s $50 billion trial comes to an end today
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Matt Mcfarland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington, DC CNN —The trial for the Tesla shareholder lawsuit examining CEO Elon Musk’s unprecedented compensation package will wrap up this afternoon. The net value of the compensation package is $50.9 billion today, after Tesla’s valuation soared more than 1,000% at its peak since shareholders approved the package. Several corporate governance experts told CNN Business that it’s clear Tesla’s board of directors lacks independence from Musk. At the time of the 2018 compensation package, Kimbal said it was “very unlikely” that Elon would walk away from his role of CEO at Tesla. That’s just not how Elon operates,” Kimbal Musk said.

☆ Elon Musk Was an Unlikely Flight Risk at Tesla When Pay Package Came Together, His Brother Said
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Rebecca Elliott | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The question of whether Mr. Musk was likely to walk away from Tesla when the board signed off on his pay package has been a theme through the week’s testimony. WILMINGTON, Del.—Elon Musk was unlikely to walk away from his role as chief executive of Tesla Inc. in 2018, around the time shareholders signed off on a new, multibillion-dollar pay package for him, the CEO’s brother said. Kimbal Musk ‘s comments came in 2021 deposition testimony that was played Thursday in a trial over Elon Musk’s latest pay deal at Tesla. The question of whether Mr. Musk was a flight risk when the board signed off on the grant has been a theme throughout the week’s testimony.

☆ Tesla’s close-knit leadership team goes under the spotlight in court
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Matt Mcfarland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Tornetta accuses Tesla’s board of breaching its duties to shareholders. The pay package from Tesla’s board granted Musk large sums of shares every time Tesla hit certain milestones, including earnings and share price targets. In this sketch, former Tesla board member Antonio Gracias testifies in court. Ehrenpreis also had the rights to the first Model 3, Tesla’s breakout product, but gave it to Elon Musk as a birthday gift. Ehrenpreis is also the Tesla board member who asked consultants if hypothetically Tesla could lower the disclosed costs of Musk’s compensation plan.

☆ Elon Musk now owns Twitter. Here’s what he could change
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN Business —After spending months attempting to get out of his deal to buy Twitter, Elon Musk officially owns the hugely influential platform. Musk has said Twitter, under his leadership, would have more lenient content moderation policies. Unbanning Trump and other accountsBut the most striking early change could come from who is and is not allowed on a Musk-owned Twitter. Musk, for his part, has focused on bringing back one of Twitter’s most prominent former users: Trump. The same day he sent his letter to Twitter attempting to revive the deal, Musk was widely panned for comments he made on the platform about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

☆ What Elon Musk has said publicly — and in private texts — about X, his idea for an 'everything app'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Elon Musk has discussed his plans for X, an "everything app," in Twitter and in private texts. AP Photo/Jacquelyn MartinPrivate texts about a blockchain-based platformMusk has also discussed creating a social media platform built on a blockchain. In April, the billionaire privately outlined his idea for a "Doge" social media platform in texts to his younger brother, Kimbal Musk. "I have an idea for a blockchain social media system that does both payments and short text messages/links like Twitter," Musk texted. A battle against botsOne thing is clear throughout Musk's dealings with Twitter — the billionaire's social media platform will be tasked with eliminating scam accounts.

☆ Elon Musk reportedly goes on 'exploratory journeys' and likes to show friends a chart of the benefits of MDMA and mushrooms over alcohol
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Grace Kay | Allana Akhtar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk likes to discuss the benefits of MDMA and mushrooms with friends, The New York Times reported. The billionaire likes to share a chart that shows MDMA and psychedelic mushrooms are healthier than alcohol use, one person who Musk shared the chart with on vacation told the publication. For the past 20 years, Musk has attended nearly every Burning Man festival — often accompanied by his younger brother, Kimbal Musk, the Times reported. Researchers have not compared health benefits from alcohol and psychedelic mushrooms head-to-head. Apple founder Steve Jobs previously touted the practice of microdosing on psychedelic drugs, such as LSD or psilocybin mushrooms in order to promote creativity.

☆ Ghislaine Maxwell reportedly asked Elon Musk to destroy the internet in the famous photo of the two that the billionaire claims was a photobomb
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Grace Kay | Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ghislaine Maxwell reportedly asked Elon Musk to destroy the internet in the famous photo of the two. The photo was taken at a Vanity Fair event in 2014, but didn't surface on social media until 2020. "She photo-bombed me once at a Vanity Fair party several years ago," he tweeted in July 2020. When the photograph was taken, Maxwell asked Musk if there was a way to delete information about oneself off the internet, the Times reported on Tuesday. Maxwell also told the Tesla CEO she wanted him to destroy the internet, a Vanity Fair worker who was standing next to the pair told The Times.

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