Amazon C.E.O. Andy Jassy Breaks From the Bezos Way
Summary
Mr. Jassy has engaged more with the scrutiny on Amazon’s broader role as an employer and in society, beyond serving customers, said Matt McIlwain, a managing partner at Seattle’s Madrona Venture Group, which was an early investor in the company. Mr. Jassy — who was in the Republican Club as an undergraduate at Harvard and has donated in recent years to business-friendly Democrats — made helping Amazon navigate the regulatory landscape a priority right out of the gate. Representative Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, told Mr. Jassy to focus on building products and to stay out of contentious political and social issues, a person with knowledge of the meeting said. Mr. Jassy has also discussed Amazon’s opposition to antitrust proposals with lawmakers and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, whom he knew from attending Harvard at the same time, people familiar with the matter said. As Amazon faces the possibility of a federal antitrust lawsuit and continued skepticism of its power, Mr. Jassy may be a potent advocate for the company, said Daniel Auble, a senior researcher at OpenSecrets.