Supervillains & the metaverse
1st edition of 2022! The CB Edition 46
Let’s get down to the business of kicking off 2022.
Dominating the headlines have been the debates about Omicron’s severity, with most of us trying to figure out how its symptoms are different Vs. the delta variant. Kazakhstan’s dictator is following in Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko’s footsteps, arresting and murdering his own people. Putin’s at it again, beating the macho drums of a potential war on different fronts. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is somehow leading a country struggling with Covid into even more extremism, and online abuse. Boris Johnson just can’t keep his nose clean, Emmanuel Macron’s headed into elections picking a war with France’s unvaxxed, while Joe Biden is looking more and more like he’ll be a one-term President.
It felt for a while there that there was an obvious and global drought of women-led news during the holiday season. Well, that was until Christmas baby Ghislaine Noelle Marion Maxwell and con artist extraordinaire Elizabeth Holmes showed us, the sisterhood can churn out super villains too. That’s a new year gift indeed!
If you aren’t familiar with these two women who prove that not every female is either kind, or good — Scroll on down to the ‘Must Watch’ section — you’ll find excellent documentaries about them that will get you up to speed.
Super villain No. 1
Ghislaine was convicted on Dec. 29, days after her 60th birthday of sex trafficking and charges of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein's disgusting and prolific sexual abuses between 1994 and 2004. She faces up to 65 years in prison for her conviction — one that flies the flag for victims Vs. those with money, power and connections.
It was an emotional trial for abuse victims everywhere. But, it turns out that with at least one, if not two jurors having come out as sexual abuse victims the ex-socialite may have cause for a re-trial. The juror who has spoken about his abuse (Juror No.50) since the trial has lawyered up. Now the decision on whether a new trial is warranted will hinge on how he responded to questions during jury selection about his experiences with sexual abuse. Legal experts say this was a key question that defence lawyers were looking at during the selection process to weed out potentially biased jurors.
Super villain No. 2
And then there was Elizabeth Holmes’ Thanos, whoops sorry Theranos. It may have sounded like a Marvel villain but ended up just being a Dr. Evil led company in an Austin Powers movie.
The quote featured above, has underscored much of the postscript opinion pieces about Liz (let’s call her that). Her choice to commit fraud over business failure led her to be convicted on four counts of wire fraud (and acquitted of four). The jury thankfully ignored her claims that her boyfriend made her do it and found her guilty of deceiving and fraudulently leading investors to pump more than $945 million in her faulty blood testing machine.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. But it’s expected that Liz will serve each count concurrently. Some legal experts even think she could receive a more lenient term, or even house arrest (in her more than $ 100 million estate).
While coverage of the trial was pretty pedestrian, the underlying question that many have raised is how investors will change the way they approach, value and oversee tech companies they know nothing about. The answer to that is going to be critical in the year ahead, as fundraising picks up. We’ve all seen the dark side when all that cash is sloshing around — Sophisticated investors swept up in the hype of a hot start-up, ignoring red flags that look obvious in hindsight. Cases where due diligence is sometimes so minimal that it might as well be a joke. Clean tech/energy companies in our current obsession with climate change are well and truly at the centre of the bullseye for the next potential Theranos.
But female super villains have their fans too and social media brings it home that there is something awfully wrong with society. A group of women on TikTok call themselves the "Holmies” and congregate using the hashtag #GirlBoss to praise Liz, often referred to as their “leader” and “queen.” They may accept she’s a fraud, but they do think of her as an inspiration. A “real female leader”! If you’re looking to unload any Theranos memorabilia, they’re also willing to pay (big bucks) for it!
But let’s be fair — Liz did create the perfect script for us binge-watching TV and movie addicts. Unsurprisingly there are now two rival projects in the Hollywood pipeline, with two A-listers stepping into her shoes. Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence is playing her in the movie ‘Bad Blood’, which is being directed by Adam McKay (who made the marmite film ‘Don’t Look Up’). The other is a Hulu series called ‘The Dropout’, starring Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried who plays Liz.
The business of business
All female SPAC
The all-women and immigrant venture capital and private equity firm Athena SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) listed Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II this week. They even rang the NYSE opening bell to mark the occasion. Last month the firm announced the closing of the $250 million IPO with 25,000,000 units priced at $10 each. This marks Athena SPAC founder Isabelle Freidheim’s third all-women SPAC, and this time she’s partnering up with ex-Facebook and Softbank veteran Kirthiga Reddy, who is President of Athena SPACs. The company says the plan now is to identify “a technology leader to bring to its next stage of growth.”
“Surreal to ring the NYSE opening bell, sign the book that has signatures of legends & sound the dong for Athena Technology II SPAC.” Kirthiga Reddy, President, Athena SPACs (on LinkedIn).
Beauty in the metaverse
Procter and Gamble is putting its bets on the metaverse into action. The company debuted #BeautySPHERE at CES this week with P&G beauty CEO Alex Keith taking on her own avatar (it was definitely prettier than Mark Zuckerberg’s).
#BeautySPHERE is a first step by P&G into the metaverse — an experiential, virtual world. Here consumers will be able to engage with P&G’s beauty brands and learn about the company’s innovation programs like Responsible Beauty. P&G beauty claims that BeautySPHERE could be a positive force for beauty in the real world by even helping restore native forest ecosystems like that in Mexico. With brands like Herbal Essences, Aussie, Olay and Old Spice under its belt, the virtual world is also a way for the consumer giant to engage with consumers who are becoming increasingly difficult to reach through traditional marketing channels.
The business of governing
Pakistan’s first female supreme court judge
She’s done what no other woman has accomplished in the 75 years since Pakistan’s independence. Known internationally for banning the “two finger test” on rape victims to test their sexual experience, 55 year old Justice Ayesha Malik has become the first female judge on the bench of Pakistan’s Supreme Court. But the announcement of her appointment has been a mixed bag of celebration and controversy.
The nine-member body that was to confirm her appointment had in fact turned down her elevation to the top court last year, and Thursday’s repeat vote was also very close. While many are celebrating the appointment of a woman to the country’s highest court, others have pointed to the lack of transparency in the selection process itself. They highlight Justice Malik wasn’t among the top three most senior judges of the lower court from where she was elevated. Some activists are even arguing the judge’s gender was exploited. The controversy is just starting with a number of lawyers’ organisations threatening to strike and boycott court proceedings over her appointment, and the Supreme Court’s selection process.
Luxembourg’s first female finance minister
Yuriko Nadia Backes has become Luxembourg’s first female Finance Minister. Yuriko was also the first woman to represent the European Commission in Luxembourg, as well as the first female ‘Maréchale de la Cour’, the Luxembourg palace’s highest administrative office. A career diplomat, her credentials as a global citizen seems to be from birth. She has a Japanese first name (which can mean “Lily”) in homage to the country where she was born to Luxembourgish expatriate parents.
Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights
Luise Amtsberg has become Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance. A politician from the Green Party (part of the current coalition), her role will be to will ensure Germany extends its engagement worldwide, develop the global humanitarian system and make it more effective. Luise has stated her commitment to a feminist foreign policy for Germany. This includes protecting women, girls and marginalised groups, as well as strengthening the role of women in foreign policy. She has been a member of the German Bundestag since the federal elections in 2013.
Match my speed: Tanzania’s Presidential challenge
President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s had enough of her ministers posturing for the 2025 elections, rather than focussing on her government’s goals. This week she reshuffled her cabinet saying, while her goal is to bring development to Tanzania’s people she thinks some of her ministers are just too busy aligning themselves for the next elections. She didn’t mince her words saying, since the current crop of ministers just don’t get her plans, a reshuffle to align them with her administration's speed and targets is necessary. She also revealed that the grace period she offered for her appointees to learn her strategies and focus had expired and it was time to appoint those who could match her speed.
Caught my eye
Good to know
Getting Krafty to up female leaders
Kraft Heinz has a commitment to reach 40% female leadership across its global operations by 2025. But the company’s Middle East, Africa and Turkey boss Melda Yaser Cebe is upping the ante. She’s made a public commitment to raise Kraft Heinz’s MEA+Turkey stats for female leadership from the current 29% to 40% female leadership by 2023!
It’s all good in Carrie-land
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s boss says she doesn’t accept suggestions that press freedom in the city faces extinction. This, right after police raids, the closure of two media outlets, and more arrests including some pretty senior journalists. She doesn’t plan on meeting any senior journalists at the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) to discuss the National Security Law’s impact on freedom of the press either.
Blue Blooded Covid
Sweden’s King and Queen have been struck down by omicron and are self-isolating this week. The longest serving monarch of the country, King Carl XVI Gustaf is 75 years old and Queen Silvia, 78 years old. Both are double vaxxed and have had their third booster and are having mild symptoms per palace officials.
Science stuff
Alien hunters
The world’s first commercial astronomy mission is Australia’s Twinkle space mission led by astrophysicist Dr. Duncan Wright and PhD student Nataliea Lowson. It will launch in 2024 on a seven-year mission and scientists will use the AU$150 million telescope to study the atmospheres of planets orbiting distant stars and identify comets and asteroids in our solar system. Here’s the bit to get sci-fi junkies excited though — the research could help in the future search for life in the galaxy.
Italy’s first female PHD isn’t welcome
You’d think it was a proposal to deface or tear down a historical monument, going by all the hullabaloo. A proposal to add a statue of Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman in the world to become a Doctor of Philosophy to Italy’s largest square, Padua’s Prato della Vallea has become an ugly fight. The square features 78 stone statues spread over 90,000 square metres paying homage to philosophers, Roman historians, physicians, astronomers, Venetian admirals and two popes among others. But it is dedicated without exception to men. The fight is over placing Elena’s statue on one of two empty pedestals in the square.
Elena received her doctorate degree from the University of Padua in 1678, becoming the first woman in the world ever to do so. Honouring women like her who contributed to Italian and world history has come on the back of a census that shows only 148 of all statues in public spaces across Italy are dedicated to women. But some historians are arguing that the idea of adding her to the Padua Square is not culturally consistent and that the empty pedestals should be retained to display the historical destruction by Napoleon forces at the site.
Entertainment
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is celebrating her 40th birthday. To mark the occasion the Royal Family has released three pictures of the Duchess wearing Alexander McQueen to honour the Queen, and Queen Victoria.
Kim Mi-soo, a South Korean actress who appeared in the Disney+ series "Snowdrop" and Netflix's "Hellbound," has died at the age of 29. Cause of death is unknown.
Irish Singer Sinead O’Connor’s 17-year-old son, Shane, was found dead after she notified authorities that he had gone missing. The body was found in the eastern coastal town of Bray, about 20 kilometres south of Dublin.
“The very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God. May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby, I love you so much. Please be at peace.” - Sinead O’Connor (on Twitter)
Eye on Afghanistan
Children for sale
As we begin 2022, let’s be clear that the international pledges made for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan have amounted to just that. With the international community freezing Afghanistan's assets abroad and halting all funding and unwilling to work with a Taliban government the country is now in the midst of an economic collapse.
In sheer desperation and with looming famine like conditions families are selling their young girls like cattle. And sometimes young boys too. Some mothers are fighting back, others are making the choice to sacrifice one for many. It is about time we stop looking away from places like Afghanistan, Yemen and others.
On the move
In the U.K.
Roisin Currie will be British bakery chain Greggs’ first female boss from February 1st, after longstanding CEO Roger Whiteside signalled that he will retire later this year. Roisin is currently the company’s retail and property director with responsibility for Greggs’ retail operations across the UK, as well as its delivery partnership with Just Eat. She will be appointed as CEO designate and executive director.
Deborah Turness has been appointed the BBC’s new CEO of news and current affairs (a new title). She replaces Fran Unsworth who is retiring at the end of the month. Deborah was previously UK channel ITN’s CEO having joined in 2020. Prior to that role she was the head of NBC News from 2013-2017, subsequently heading NBC’s international news before moving to head up Sky World News, which cancelled its launch due to the pandemic.
Brazil/France
Ana Paula Assis has been made the new EMEA General Manager by IBM. Ana has previously held a number of executive positions during her 25 years with the company, including general manager for the Latin America region. She made the Forbes list of the Best Brazilian CEOs in 2019 and was amongst the top 100 executives with the best reputation in Brazil, according to MERCO (2021).
In the U.S.
K.C. Kavanagh has joined AT&T as chief communications officer of AT&T Services, leading communications for the telecom giant. She will report to Lori Lee, CEO of AT&T Latin America and global marketing officer for AT&T. K.C. was previously the chief communications officer at Bacardi and has also worked for Starwood hotels and Hyatt.
The Supervillains: Must Watch
Inspiration for the week
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” — Marie Curie.
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