The person here today is Matt Weinberger, filling in again for Jordan Erb. It’s a strange choice. However, Wednesday is my favourite week because it’s the day that new comics are released (well, DC started releasing them on Tuesdays in recent times. However, they’re still).
It’s my pleasure to present Insider’s list of 100 people who will change the business landscape in 2022. This is the annual salute to individuals who are breaking the rules and challenging conventions across different sectors. This year’s list includes some of the most prominent tech people and shakers, such as BeReal CEO Alexis Barreyat, YouTube chief business officer Mary Ellen Coe, and influential labour leader Jessica Gonzalez. You can find the complete list below.
On a sadder subject, Amazon has begun layoffs which could impact as many as 10,000 people, as Insider’s Katherine Long reports. These cuts are expected to be concentrated in Amazon’s retail, device and human-resources divisions.
There’s plenty to discuss, So let’s get started.
- 100 People Changing the Business. Each year Insider highlights the top 100 individuals who have made the most significant impact on the business world. The list extends well beyond the technological realm; a few prominent figures from the industry have made it onto the list this year.
The honorees included the CEO of BeReal and YouTube’s chief commercial officer and the top tech labour activist Jessica Gonzalez.
In a year of uncertainty that saw economic conditions turn sour all across the board, The leaders stood out as an excellent example of the more significant trends sweeping through the tech industry.
The Insider’s Katie Malone writes that this year’s crop of Transformers in the field of Emerging Technology reflects a rising trend to prioritize efficiency and transparency in anything from personal training to remote access.
- Layoffs have hit Amazon. The massive layoffs at the retailer, which we initially reported earlier in the week, began in full force on Tuesday. Up to 10,000 jobs could be eliminated during what could prove to be the largest Amazon layoff to date. For more information on Amazon:
The Insider’s Eugene Kim and Katherine Long say that employees are dissatisfied with the lack of information from the top management about job cuts.
Katherine says the employees have been sharing advice on managing the layoffs’ stress, mainly through filling out an informal “Freak-out Incident Response Form” or FIRF.
In the past week, Eugene informed us that the Amazon Grand Challenge lab — responsible for Amazon’s most cutting-edge research — was set to be reduced in size, a clear indication of CEO Andy Jassy’s dedication to cutting costs.
- Insiders at Twitter are worried about a possible crash. Under Elon Musk as CEO, Twitter’s user numbers are rising, but its headcount is down. Some people close to the company informed Insider’s Kali Hays and Lara O’Reilly that this could cause the service to fall significantly shortly instead of later. Could you find out more about their worries? And Twitter employees have begun calling Musk by a new name, Elmo.
- Microsoft promises to hold senior executives accountable. In the past year, Insider’s Ashley Stewart reported that Microsoft has a history of absconding with accusations of misconduct by senior executives who were considered crucial to its mission. This week, Microsoft promised to be more transparent in keeping its top executives accountable.
- Recurrent Ventures hits turbulence. The Insider’s Steven Perlberg writes that Recurrent Ventures, which was able to raise $300 million last year, is facing challenging times. The company that owns media brands such as Popular Science and The Drive is in disarray and struggling to sell advertising. According to Insiders, the company is working to sell ads.
- Wall Street aims Alphabet. TCI, a significant shareholder within Google’s parent business, Alphabet, issued an open letter on Tuesday, urging Alphabet chief Sundar Pichai to cut costs. They are particularly concerned that Alphabet has too many employees being paid too much and spending too much money on moonshots.
- Google employees are worried the company will lay off employees the next time. Parent Alphabet is one of the few Big Tech companies not to have laid off employees this year. However, staff are concerned that Google could subtly utilize more aggressive performance reviews to reduce headcounts.
- Lucid is looking to compete with Tesla. Lucid Motors, an electric-vehicle company, is hoping to compete with Tesla Model S. Tesla Model S with its new Air Pure, hitting the streets by the end of the year. It has a slightly longer distance than its predecessor, the Model S — and at $92,900, it’s 12,000 less expensive.
- Taylor has a devastating effect on Ticketmaster. This week, fans from across the nation were shocked to discover that Ticketmaster was having difficulty keeping pace with demand for Taylor Swift’s forthcoming “Eras” concert. It’s no surprise that people aren’t thrilled.
- For those who are gamers, Black Friday starts now. As an avid deal hunter, I love Black Friday sales. If you know where to look, deals are waiting to be located. Insider’s guide to the top Black Friday gaming deals available right now.
