- In today’s CEO Daily: Diane Brady on threats to leaders in a violent era.
- The big story: Klarna debuts on NYSE and consumer debt worries.
- The markets: Up across regions.
- Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.
Good morning. I was in Scottsdale yesterday, recording a podcast on site at Deloitte’s Next Generation CEO Program, when news about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk began to trickle in. We had been talking about the challenge of being a public figure in business or politics these days, the need for visionary and visible leadership, when visibility can come at a price.
Many CEOs have been on high alert since UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down in midtown Manhattan last year while walking to an investor meeting. We’ve seen anger mounting on college campuses—Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University—along with increased threats to leaders and public calls to violence.
Those realities impact how I report. I’ve been more mindful of my own security since my former colleague Daniel Pearl was murdered in 2002. Gone are the days when terrorists would turn to a journalist to tell their story. Instead of protecting journalists, a press badge can make us a target.
I’m more sensitive to the consequences of my reporting on others, having seen someone fired for a quote that felt mild to me but provocative to his paranoid employer. That’s more a result of experience than caution. I’ve long advised billionaires to stop giving me their kids’ names. I don’t chase down big names for trite quotes that no one needs to read, nor do I dig for details that people have a right to keep private. Conversations about policy are more likely to be off the record in this environment but I’m still clear that my customer is the reader, not the people we cover.
I was once stalked by a man who felt entitled to harass me about something I’d said on early-morning TV. I dismissed him as an eccentric with too much time on his hands until he emailed one day to ask why I’d brought a baby into the office. That baby was mine, and our security team realized he’d been hanging around the lobby. It was a wakeup call about risks, which is sadly bound to be top of mind this morning for any CEO or public figure.
More news below.
Contact CEO Daily via Diane Brady at diane.brady@fortune.com
Top news
Klarna debuts on NYSE
Buy-now, pay-later company Klarna debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, raising $1.37 billion. Experts, however, are wary that users are taking out too many loans and could become overwhelmed with payments.
Ellison becomes world’s richest person
Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison is now the world’s richest person with a net worth near $393 billion, beating out Elon Musk on Wednesday, per the Bloomberg Billionaire’s Index. Ellison’s wealth increased by more than $100 billion this week spurred by optimism about the company’s business which was buttressed by Oracle’s earnings call on Tuesday, during which CEO Safra Catz predicted $18 billion in cloud infrastructure business for the fiscal year—up 77% from fiscal 2025—and up to $144 billion in cloud infrastructure revenue in fiscal 2030.
Trump meets with Polish President
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”—responding to reports that Polish forces had shot down several Russian drones after they entered Poland’s airspace. Trump also held a call with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday, according to Nawrocki’s social media updates.
Justice Department appeals for Trump’s ability to fire Fed Gov
The U.S. Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court for permission for President Trump to dismiss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook after a U.S. District Judge temporarily blocked her removal. If the appeals court upholds the block, the dispute is likely to advance to the Supreme Court.
Zoox robotaxis begin rides
Amazon-owned Zoox officially started offering robotaxi services on Wednesday at certain pre-approved locations on the Las Vegas Strip. Zoox’s robotaxis will initially be free of charge.
The markets
S&P 500 futures were up 0.13% this morning. STOXX Europe 600 was up 0.35% in early trading. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 was up 0.46% in early trading. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 1.22%. China’s CSI 300 was up 2.31%. The South Korean KOSPI was up 0.9%. India’s Nifty 50 was up 0.15%. Bitcoin rose to $114,156.00.
Around the watercooler
Jamie Dimon isn’t convinced by the market’s theory that huge job revisions aren’t a recession indicator by Eleanor Pringle
Bosses admit they’re using return-to-office mandates to trim down teams—without needing to announce layoffs by Jessica Coacci
Film director Spike Lee and Michelle Obama slam overnight success as a lie—and that anyone selling it is hiding a ‘dark’ backstory by Preston Fore
CEO Daily is compiled and edited by Joey Abrams and Jim Edwards.
