Musk, Putin and CEO Telephone Calls
We’ve learned a lot lately about who CEOs like to telephone. We reported a couple of weeks ago that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella likes to make two calls a day to CEOs of other companies, including startup chiefs, to ensure he stays up to date on the latest developments in tech. And Morgan Stanley’s former CEO and Disney chair-to-be Jim Gorman likes to call newly appointed CEOs across America to offer his “wisdom,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
Then there’s Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk. He’s cool hanging out with other CEOs: Here’s a photo of him at the U.S. Open with former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, IAC chair Barry Diller and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. But, according to the Journal, Musk is also in regular contact with Vladimir Putin, discussing “personal topics, business and geopolitical tensions.” Putin once asked Musk for a favor on behalf of China’s president Xi Jinping, the report said.
While Musk taking up with Putin may not be surprising—given the billionaire’s broad-ranging business interests and control of X—the Xi part sounds a little puzzling. Why would China’s president need Putin to talk to Musk on his behalf?
Tesla has a big factory in Shanghai—it was the first foreign car manufacturer allowed to operate in China without a local partner. Tesla is so trusted in China that the government uses its vehicles. Musk also visits China on occasion, meeting with top government officials. If Xi wanted something from Musk, why wouldn’t he just call him directly?
Whatever. The report showed why Musk is not only the biggest story in business news but increasingly a political story that nearly rivals Trump himself. And if Trump wins the election, the news media’s focus on Musk will only increase, given the ties between the two.