"Public F-Word, the Most 'Musk'-Like Moment" A Look at This Year's CEOs' Incidents

"The most jaw-dropping moment was when he said a word starting with 'f' to advertisers who stopped advertising on social media platform X (formerly Twitter)." Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, was named first on Bloomberg News' list of 'Top CEO Blunders and Mistakes of 2023' on the 28th (local time).

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The news agency cited the controversy over Musk's public profanity as the 'Muskiest moment' among his words and actions this year. Last month on the 29th, Musk attended the New York Times (NYT) 'DealBook Summit 2023' public interview and drew criticism for telling advertisers to "f*** off" with profanity. He also mentioned Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, saying, "Bob, if you are in the audience, that's exactly how I feel." Disney is one of the companies that stopped advertising on X after Musk supported anti-Semitic posts.

Additionally, Musk made headlines by announcing a fight challenge against Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms. The news agency ultimately called the unmaterialized fight "the bluff of the century." The incident began when a Twitter user asked Musk if Meta's new social media platform Threads would be a rival to Twitter, to which Musk mockingly replied, "I'm scared to death." Another user warned, "I heard he (Zuckerberg) does jiu-jitsu, be careful," and Musk responded, "I'm ready to fight."

Subsequently, Zuckerberg captured Musk's tweet and posted it on his Instagram with the caption "Send location," to which Musk promptly replied, "Las Vegas Octagon." However, the much-anticipated duel between the two billionaires fizzled out as Musk did not provide a clear date for the fight, citing possible surgery needed for neck and back issues. Ultimately, it turned out to be a bluff.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Alongside Musk, the news agency named Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, as another executive who stirred much attention this year. The sudden CEO dismissal and his reinstatement process were described as "quite bizarre." The incident, which began with the abrupt dismissal announcement last month, saw twists and turns over five days. Immediately after the board announced the dismissal, strong backlash from investors including Microsoft (MS) suggested Altman's quick return, but it did not materialize. However, when major shareholder MS announced Altman's hiring and over 700 OpenAI employees submitted collective resignations, the board had no choice but to back down.

Low-cost airline AirAsia's CEO Tony Fernandes also made the list for his eccentric behavior. In October, Fernandes sparked controversy by posting a photo on his LinkedIn showing himself shirtless, sitting on an office chair receiving a massage. Along with the photo, he wrote, "You have to love the culture of Indonesia and AirAsia where you can have an executive meeting while getting a massage." The post quickly spread online and drew criticism for being inappropriate. Fernandes later publicly apologized, explaining that he was in significant pain after an 18-hour flight and that the idea was an impromptu suggestion from Indonesian management.

Photo of Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia, posted on LinkedIn account

Additionally, HBO CEO Casey Bloys publicly apologized after it was revealed that he used fake X accounts to leave malicious comments on TV critics who gave negative reviews to the company's programs. Andy Owen, CEO of furniture manufacturer Millennial, attracted public attention after a short video circulated online showing him scolding employees interested in year-end bonuses. Bernard Looney, CEO of BP, resigned in September for failing to fully disclose details about past personal relationships with colleagues. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, faced public criticism for flying on a private jet amid chaos caused by the cancellation of 751 of the airline's flights in a single day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.