While Jeff Bezos questions about space travel, Amazon executives emerge from the shadows – Quartz



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Jeff Bezos has a lot to do. Best known as the founder of Amazon, he also owns a newspaper, the Washington Post, and is particularly interested in space. Bezos recently revealed that its company Blue Origin has developed a new lunar lander that will contribute to the ambitious goal of the entrepreneur to colonize other planets, while the energy of humanity requires more in addition to taxes on the Earth.

This ambitious goal may explain what appears to be a change in Amazon's strategy. Although Bezos has long been the undisputed public face and voice of society, analysts and a new CNBC report suggest that Amazon's leaders are coming out of the shadows, with the founder focusing more on other projects. For example, Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon's Consumer Consumer Division, has just given his first TV interview after nearly two decades in the company and three years in his current role.

Wilke spoke with CNBC at the March: Amazon artificial intelligence conference held in Las Vegas last week, during which Bezos' presentation was briefly interrupted by animal rights protesters. Wilke did not probe into thorny issues, such as Amazon's stance on increasing public demand for regulators to investigate antitrust violations of large technology companies, instead of focusing on conference events. "We believe that all important entities in the economy should be scrutinized, which is not unusual. And our job is to build the business and practices that pass this exam with flying colors, "said Wilke. "What we're going to talk about this week about Mars is all the investments we're making in customer service and the services we're offering to artificial intelligence developers and researchers around the world to create products for the world. customers. good thing."

The content of Wilke's interview was not particularly revealing, but the fact that it happened was. Tom Forte, an analyst at D.A. Davidson, told CNBC that he had been "shocked" to see the interview with Wilke, and attributed the move to a new corporate strategy. "We are seeing a concerted effort to show that Amazon is more than just Bezos." (Quartz asked Amazon to comment on this assumption and will update the story with any response).

Wilke's interview follows a series of presentations over the past year by members of the Amazon S-Team, 18 leaders who have Bezos' ear and with whom he consults to make business decisions. Until recently, they had not spoken much in public. But that seems to be changing. Jay Carney, head of press and government relations at Amazon, spoke last month to the Washington Post (Paywall) about its second head office under development in Arlington. Virginia. Jeff Blackburn, head of Amazon's advertising and advertising, gave a rare interview last October at an event organized by Vanity Fair. Dave Clark, who heads the company's retail operations, last June defended Amazon's new delivery services. And Web Services CEO Andy Jassy has a relatively high public profile for an Amazon executive, appearing on CNBC with host Jim Cramer this winter.

Previously, it was in Bezos that it was incumbent to discuss new businesses, providing information to the press on business developments. However, to the extent that he seems focused on other projects, he can now try to reassure investors that Amazon is in good hands. Bezos' highly publicized divorce with his long-time wife MacKenzie, and his targeting of critics by Donald Trump, could also help explain any Amazon communication strategy aimed at drawing attention to the "big deal". other leaders of the company.

Nevertheless, there is little doubt that the founder remains in charge and that he likes this position. On May 14, Bezos ushered in a new 3 million square foot air cargo center at Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport in conjunction with Amazon Delivery Services, picking up land with a front-end loader and declaring "If you're wondering … it's fun!"

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