Is Silicon Valley growing tired of its most iconic founders? The recent grifts of figures like Elizabeth Holmes and Adam Neumann may herald an era in which people are more skeptical of leaders with eccentric beliefs and habits.
In this atmosphere (and under increasing pressure from the federal government), industry titans Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg have become subject to more scrutiny. But there’s a key difference between @jack and Zuck: Zuckerberg controls the majority of Facebook’s voting shares. Dorsey doesn’t have the same power at Twitter.
With values in Silicon Valley shifting and investors feeling unsure about the future, is Dorsey’s role at risk? In 2020, his leadership was challenged by Elliott Management, a hedge fund that holds a sizable stake in the company. The high-profile coup didn’t succeed, but some industry commentators continue to wonder about Dorsey’s job security—especially as Dorsey faces intense pressure to censor the speech of the American president.
On the other hand, the numbers don’t lie. In 2019, Twitter made $3.5 billion in revenue. And the platform’s cultural relevance is still on the rise.
Dorsey’s methods are unusual, but his brand—and his results—are still strong. Learn more about his fascinating career at Twitter and Square in our latest Instaread Original.
