Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

From Hitting Bezos With Stick to Replacing Him as CEO: What We Know About New Amazon Boss Andy Jassy

From Hitting Bezos With Stick to Replacing Him as CEO: What We Know About New Amazon Boss Andy Jassy

While the first encounter between the outgoing and incoming CEOs of Amazon was arguably not ideal, this did not stop Bezos from seeing potential in Andy Jassy, who made a number of proposals that turned out to be significant for the company.

Amazon's long-time CEO Jeff Bezos announced back in February 2021 that he would be stepping down from his post and instead observe the company's activities as executive chair of the board. He is set to be replaced on 5 July, the 27th anniversary of Amazon, with the head of its fastest-growing divisions, Andy Jassy, stepping in to manage the company's day-to-day operations.

Here is what we know about the new CEO of the US tech giant:

Unfortunate Encounter With Bezos and Significant Proposals for Company


Jassy joined Amazon in 1997, when the then-online book retailer was only preparing for its initial public offering (IPO). The Harvard University and Harvard Business School graduate bumped into the company's founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, during a session of the company's favourite competitive sport, "broomball". He accidentally hit his boss over the head with a paddle that is used to play the game. Bezos, however, bore no hard feelings and despite what was perhaps not the smoothest introduction, he repeatedly promoted the Harvard graduate in the subsequent years.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos during the JFK Space Summit at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Wednesday, June 19, 2019


Andy Jassy's rapid rise through Amazon's ranks was apparently well-deserved, as he was the author of several ideas that the company greatly profited from. He was namely behind the proposal to add CD and DVD sales to the company's portfolio. Possibly his most successful pitch happened in 2003: after reviewing the causes of the lengthy development time for new apps, Jassy proposed establishing a cloud service for sharing data in order to speed up the process. This service was then sold to other companies and later became known as Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The new Amazon CEO led the AWS division and under his leadership, it became one of the top contributors to the company's massive profits. AWS generated $4.2 billion, or 46%, of the company's operating income in the first quarter of 2021 alone. This is 32% more than in 2020, when the online giant was enjoying a boom in demand due to the COVID pandemic. The latter also contributed to the success of AWS, as many online platforms, which have also been in high demand with people stuck at home, operate based on AWS cloud infrastructure.

The Man Who Will Defend Amazon


While the new Amazon CEO has not yet made any public statements on what changes the company can expect in the near future, one task looms on the horizon for Andy Jassy – to defend the company in the face of government scrutiny and recent criticism from the general public.

Amazon landed in the government's crosshairs over allegations that it had not been paying its fair share in taxes. Criticism of the company has intensified in light of scandals around the alleged mistreatment of its own workers. The accusations began as claims that the tech giant was controlling every move made by its employees working at its warehouses, while allegedly only paying the bare minimum. The allegations evolved further over the course of the pandemic year 2020.

The company fired several of its employees in April over failing to follow recommendations linked to COVID-19, but the former workers claimed that the sacking was revenge for their protests against poor working conditions. The situation was further worsened by the publication of a report claiming that Amazon delivery drivers were in such a crunch that they had to urinate in bottles in order to meet their quotas.

The new CEO will apparently have to deal with lingering PR scandals and threats of probing the company for potential violations. It is possible, however, that Jassy will be more transparent when engaging these issues. In the past, he has not shied away from commenting on his social media on a number of high-profile social issues: the killing of Breonna Taylor by police in 2020, the high incarceration rate in the country, and the perceived racial bias associated with it.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
×