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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Wife MacKenzie Are Divorcing

cnbc.com

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Re: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Wife MacKenzie Are Divorcing

#12

Post by docker_up »

mrep wrote: post #10
docker_up wrote: post #5

It's a bit TMZ to have this on HN, but the big tech question is what ownership stake does the ex-wife have on Amazon? Assuming they didn't have a pre-nup, does she get 50% of his stake in Amazon? Does she get a board seat? That could have deep implications for Amazon if for example she decides to sell that ownership stake and dilutes Jeff Bezos' control.

I was wondering that too, but then I realized that would only have a big effect if stockholders thought he was doing a bad job and I bet most everyone doesn't think that.

Not sure I follow. If his ownership stake is cut in half, and the ex-wife owns half of Bezos' stake in Amazon, that effectively cuts his power in half.

Sure, right now they are likely on the same page, but what about in 5 years? What if she starts selling her stake or sells her decision-making stake to an activist hedge fund, for example, or someone directly adversarial to Bezos? It could make things a lot harder for him to lead the company.

Re: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Wife MacKenzie Are Divorcing

#14

Post by ltc5505 »

docker_up wrote: post #5

It's a bit TMZ to have this on HN, but the big tech question is what ownership stake does the ex-wife have on Amazon? Assuming they didn't have a pre-nup, does she get 50% of his stake in Amazon? Does she get a board seat? That could have deep implications for Amazon if for example she decides to sell that ownership stake and dilutes Jeff Bezos' control.

I think the opinion that the title is quite "gossipy" for HN is shared with a good portion of the community. I was entirely ready to just disregard the post after skimming the comments, but your point about splitting of assets is a great topic for discussion.

What has happened historically when an executive gets divorced? Is this is the first high-profile tech company executive divorce?

Re: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Wife MacKenzie Are Divorcing

#17

Post by Simon_says »

danso wrote: post #7
Simon_says wrote: post #2

Hacker News should be above celebrity gossip. It should be nobody's business but their friends' and family's.

He publicly announced it, and besides being with him during the very beginning of Amazon, she’s his partner with the Day One Fund.

It's not a violation of privacy. It's just not relevant.

Re: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Wife MacKenzie Are Divorcing

#19

Post by sorenjan »

docker_up wrote: post #5

It's a bit TMZ to have this on HN, but the big tech question is what ownership stake does the ex-wife have on Amazon? Assuming they didn't have a pre-nup, does she get 50% of his stake in Amazon? Does she get a board seat? That could have deep implications for Amazon if for example she decides to sell that ownership stake and dilutes Jeff Bezos' control.

If that's how the system works, isn't that an incentive for the partner, the wife in this case, to divorce their spouse to get increased control? I don't know how much control she has at the moment being married to the person that actually owns the stocks, but if she gets 50% in a divorce that sounds like a financial jackpot. That's akin to state sponsored theft IMO.
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