
WhatsApp's CEO Is Suddenly Leaving Facebook. It Could Cost Him $1B - mromanuk
http://time.com/5261207/whatsapp-ceo-jay-koum-exit/
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everdev
> Koum’s decision may be made easier thanks to the $10.4 billion fortune he’s
> already accrued, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He’s already
> sold $8 billion worth of Facebook stock since 2015, according to data
> compiled by Bloomberg.

What's the point of FU money if you never say FU? Good for him.

~~~
1024core
On the other hand: if he could hold his nose and hang on for another 7 months,
he'd make $1B, which, if he donated to a cause, could _really_ change things.

~~~
crunchlibrarian
Lots of successful exits recently, many new millionaires and billionaires. Not
a lot of causes changing things, at least not that I've been seeing.

I did see a homeless encampment get bulldozed the other day. The day before
that I watched a Vietnam Vet take a dump on the sidewalk, we made awkward eye
contact.

Not sure where all those billions are going but the "cause" does not seem to
be moving forward.

~~~
mac01021
> I did see a homeless encampment get bulldozed the other day. The day before
> that I watched a Vietnam Vet take a dump on the sidewalk, we made awkward
> eye contact.

Dude what state do you live in? I must live in a bubble over here...

~~~
drawnwren
Given that we're on HN and SF has notorious homeless problems, I'd say odds
are high that it's somewhere in the Bay Area.

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rando444
> _The Washington Post reported earlier that Koum is exiting the company after
> clashing with Facebook over strategy_

I think it's a very important point to make that a large part of the strategy
that was being debated was weakening the encryption. [0]

At least as far as I'm concerned, that is one of the more important parts of
the story that I don't feel is being discussed enough, or in cases of articles
like this, entirely glossed over.

[0] [https://arstechnica.com/information-
technology/2018/04/hours...](https://arstechnica.com/information-
technology/2018/04/hours-after-data-clash-report-whatsapp-founder-says-hes-
leaving-facebook/)

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whack
> The stock vests in increments until late 2018, with 1.9 million shares due
> to vest in mid-May and mid-August, plus a final tranche of 2.1 million set
> to be issued in November.

The guy could have collected $336M, if he had just stayed for _2 more weeks_.
If it were me, I would have just grinded out those 2 weeks, and given the
extra $300M to my favorite charity. I guess he must have really hated being at
FB...

~~~
r00fus
It's highly likely his choice was more complicated than that. His net worth is
$10B, so $300M isn't exactly pocket change, but it's possible by exiting now
he got to make a statement and disavow involvement in future decisions.

Is it possible this is his way of indicating a clear canary event?

~~~
cpeterso
Staying longer also has opportunity costs. The article says he will take "some
time off to do things I enjoy", but perhaps one of the things he enjoys is a
new $10B startup.

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samfisher83
He could spend 500k a day every single day for 50+ years and still not spend
what he has. I think at some point the money doesn't matters.

~~~
Traubenfuchs
There is a difference between buying a small island for fun and buying a small
island and building your own fully staffed pleasure paradise with an airport.
My imagination has no limit on how to use infinite ever increasing amounts of
money.

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dnel
I sometimes wonder what motivates obscenely rich people to continue working,
particularly when that work is as controversial as Facebook. The values of
these people are clearly different from mine. In Koum's shoes I'd probably
make the same decision, he doesn't need to work another day in his life if he
doesn't want to so he has no excuse to violate his personal beliefs.

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therealmarv
If you have 10 billion+ you maybe do not care anymore.

~~~
gamw_mana_sou
I hardly make 0.00001% of that per month. He got quite rich indeed.

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auchenberg
With $10.4 billion, that would make it the annual return on his investments.

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ronzensci
Can someone give the link to Koum's Facebook post?

~~~
esnard
[https://www.facebook.com/jan.koum/posts/10156227307390011](https://www.facebook.com/jan.koum/posts/10156227307390011)

