SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son reportedly compared himself to Jesus during an investor call

Advertisement
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son reportedly compared himself to Jesus during an investor call
Masayoshi Son, the chief of Japanese Internet and telecom giant Softbank, delivers a speech during a press conference in Seoul on June 20, 2011.Park Ji-Hwan/AFP/Getty Images
  • SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son compared himself to Jesus in an investor call on Monday, according to a report by the Financial Times.
  • Son said that, just like Jesus, he is misunderstood, according to three people on the call cited in the report.
  • SoftBank's Vision Fund has suffered billions in losses, and Son said that if his investments improved, his reputation would improve as well, the report said.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Advertisement

In a call with investors on Monday, embattled SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son compared himself to Jesus, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Son, who is known to be eccentric and at times provocative, said on the call that, just like Jesus, he is misunderstood, according to three people on the call cited in the report.

The comments come as Son's Vision Fund has suffered billions in losses, notably losing money from its investment in WeWork, which Son said on Monday was "foolish." SoftBank invested $18.5 billion in WeWork, according to a transcript of a WeWork all-hands meeting reported by Recode.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Son used the comparison to Jesus to make the argument that if the performance of his investments improved, his reputation would improve as well, the report said.

SoftBank recently lowered its valuation of WeWork to $2.9 billion, down from its $7.3 billion valuation in December. At its peak, WeWork was privately valued in 2019 at $47 billion.

Advertisement

SoftBank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read more: Masa Son is facing one of his biggest challenges yet as the SoftBank Vision Fund racks up billions in losses. 12 insiders reveal where it all went wrong.

Read the original article on Business Insider
{{}}