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Business Pants

Business Pants

De: Free Float Media Inc.
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Whether you love business news or feel like you’re supposed to know it but hate it, Business Pants is business news for humans. Snarky and irreverent, deeply researched and factual, a podcast devoted to market quirks and the humans that make up companies. Investing isn’t a what, it’s a who.

2024, Free Float Media Inc. Economía Finanzas Personales Política y Gobierno
Episodios
  • Nestle fires CEO, Trump’s tech dinner, Harvard wins, and Norway not allowed to divest

    Nestle fires CEO, Trump’s tech dinner, Harvard wins, and Norway not allowed to divest
    Sep 5 2025
    Story of the Week (DR):Nestlé chief executive sacked over affair with junior colleague MMLaurent Freixe dismissed after boardroom inquiry revealed ‘undisclosed romantic relationship’Nestlé chief ‘promoted junior colleague he had affair with’Nestle CEO axed after probe into complaints of favouritism, CFO saysCFO Anna Manz said the relationship between Freixe and the employee, who has not been named, was first examined in an internal investigation following concerns raised via Nestle's internal reporting system, called Speak Up.The matter was investigated by the board, but no evidence was found, she said."And it was at that point that Laurent also made a personal statement stating that there had been no such thing," Manz said, referring to the concerns about Freixe raised by whistleblowers.But complaints continued to be made, Manz said, leading to a second, broader inquiry being launched with help from Swiss lawyers Baer & Karrer.Nestlé fired its scandal-clad CEO without a payout—a ‘really unusual’ move, corporate governance expert saysNell Minow: “That is really unusual. I think that’s actually a badge of success for corporate governance, because that’s something investors have been concerned about for a long time: CEOs being dismissed and somehow getting to stay on.”Who is the board? It’s basically Paul BulckeChair since 2017CEO from 2008-2016Longest-tenured director (2008) by 7 yearsAt the company since 1979Kroger’s ex-CEO won’t have to detail ’embarrassing’ thing he did to get fired, for nowTech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner (32% dropout/11% F)Tim Cook (Apple CEO)*Mark Zuckerberg (Meta Emperor) Sundar Pichai (CEO Google CEO)‘I’m glad it’s over.’ Google CEO thanks Trump for antitrust 'resolution'Alphabet this week added $230 billion to its market cap after avoiding a breakup in a landmark antitrust case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2020.Sergey Brin (Google/Alphabet co-founder) Satya Nadella (CEO Microsoft CEO)*Bill Gates (Microsoft Founder) *Sam Altman (CEO OpenAI CEO) *Greg Brockman (Co-founder/President, OpenAI) Safra Catz (Oracle CEO) Sanjay Mehrotra (Micron Technology CEO) Vivek Ranadivé (TIBCO Chair) Shyam Sankar (Palantir CTO) David Limp (CEO Blue Origin) *Alexandr Wang (Meta Chief AI Officer) *Jared Isaacman (Shift4 Payments founder/Chair)Jason Chang (CSBio CEO)Nathalie Dompé (Dompé farmaceutici co-CEO and nepobaby)*Dylan Field (Figma CEO)*John Hering (Lookout founder/Chair)Sunny Madra (Groq COO)Chamath Palihapitiya (CEO Social Capital)Mark Pincus (Zynga founder)David Sacks (PayPal Mafia)Jamie Siminoff (Ring founder)^Lisa Su (AMD CEO)Elon MuskTesla Plans to Pay Elon Musk 1,000 Billion Dollars—More Than Switzerland’s GDP—In a Deal Tied to Sci-Fi-Level GoalsTesla's nearly $1 trillion new pay plan for Musk would expand his voting powerTesla Chairwoman Robyn Denholm said the plan was designed to keep the CEO “motivated and focused on delivering for the company.” Denholm confirmed that the Tesla CEO pay plan, if approved by shareholders, would not put any limit on where and how Musk spends his time or require him to spend any minimum number of hours per week on Tesla business.Musk and Denholm not up for voteESG in Pop Culture:Internet sleuths reveal millionaire CEO is 'jerk' tennis fan who snatched US Open star's hat away from childThe luxury life of the 'most hated man on the internet' who lives in 'village of millionaires' is revealed... as even his own countrymen turn on himAfter Name Mix-Up, Online Rage Is Directed at Wrong C.E.O. in U.S. Open Hat ScandalThe chief executive of the Polish company Drogbruk was captured on video snatching a hat in front of a child. The head of Drog-Bruk, a different firm, is getting attacked. The executives also have similar surnames.Turkish CEO Throws Flower Pot At Employee After Argument, Issues ApologyHakki Alkan, CEO of Turkish technology news outlet ShiftDelete, threw a flower pot filled with gravel at his employee during an argument.The argument between Alkan and the employee, who has been identified as Samet Jankovic, began due to a disagreement over the content to be published. Both apparently had different opinions.In the aftermath, Alkan expressed regret for his actions, acknowledging the stress of their busy work environment. He promised to manage it better to prevent similar incidents in the futureGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Kraft Heinz Breaks Up, Bumming Out Billionaire BuffettNorth American Grocery (staples like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, and Lunchables)Global Taste Elevation (sauces, spreads)DR: McDonald's CEO warns of 'two-tiered economy'Chris Kempczinski:"Particularly, with middle- and lower-income consumers, they’re feeling under a lot of pressure right now. I think there is a lot of commentary about what’s the state of the economy, how is it doing and what we see is it’s really kind of a two-tier economy.""If you are ...
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    1 h y 4 m
  • The Stupid Awesome Game: Nestle’s CEO fired, sharks are woke, Tesla’s shareholder proposals

    The Stupid Awesome Game: Nestle’s CEO fired, sharks are woke, Tesla’s shareholder proposals
    Sep 2 2025
    How Are the Very Rich Feeling About New York’s Next Mayor?“The Hamptons is basically in group therapy about the mayoral race.”“Even overpriced lobster salad can’t seem to make people out here feel better,” said Robert Zimmerman, a veteran political fund-raiser who has yet to back anyone in the race.Greg Kraut, the chief executive of KPG Funds, a real estate investment firm, has called Mr. Mamdani’s supporters WHAT “Trust-fund Trotskyites”“iPad insurrectionists”“Moron Millennials.”“LinkedIn Leninists”“Avocado-toast anarchists”Which headline is real?Nestlé Fires CEO Over 'Undisclosed Romantic Relationship'Nestlé on Monday dismissed CEO Laurent Freixe after only a year on the job following "an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate" that breached its Code of Business Conduct.1"This was a necessary decision," Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke said. "Nestlé's values and governance are strong foundations of our company."Freixe, a company veteran, was appointed last year to replace CEO Mark Schneider as the maker of Toll House cookies and Nespresso coffee struggled with slowing sales. The Swiss company tapped Philipp Navratil, the head of Nestlé's Nespresso division, to succeed Freixe.Earlier this year, department store chain Kohl's fired CEO Ashley Buchanan after an investigation found he directed the company to enter a multi-million-dollar agreement with a group that included a personal contact.Nestle: -21% gender influence gap; led by:Paul Bulcke 20%Mark Schneider 17%Renato Fassbind 11% Pablo Isla Alvarez de Tejera 10%Patrick Aebischer 10%Nestlé Fires CEO After Pushing Cost-Cutting Plan That Included Charging for Office CoffeeExecutive Pushed Out Amid Backlash to Marketing Campaign That Accidentally Insulted All of FranceTop Executive Removed Amid Fallout From Supply Chain “Efficiency” That Turned Out to Be Child LaborNestlé Fires CEO After Boardroom Dispute Over Aggressive Cost-Cutting PlanWhich is the real headline about sharks going woke?“Climate change could be causing sharks to develop a taste for kale”“Climate change could be causing sharks to lose interest in humans”“Climate change could be causing sharks to starve because they forgot how to hunt”“Climate change could be causing sharks to develop social anxiety around prey”Climate change could be causing sharks to lose their biteWhich headline is real?Delta Air Lines Boss Issues Apology After Taking First-Class Seat From Child PassengerPolish CEO Piotr Szczerek issues apology for stealing Kamil Majchzrak's hat from US Open fanPiotr Szczerek, founder of paving company Drog-Bruk, has apologised for stealing Kamil Majchrzak's cap from the young fan it was intended for at the US Open.Footage of the Polish CEO ripping the cap out of the boy's hand went viral over the weekend, as did tone-deaf statements attributed to Szczerek that he says were fake."I take full responsibility for my extremely poor judgment and hurtful actions. It was never my intent to steal away a prized memento from the young fan. I became caught up in the heat of the moment and the joy of the victory, and I believed Majchrzak was handing a hat to me to give to my sons, who had previously asked for autographs.“For years, my wife and I have been involved in supporting children and young athletes, but this incident has shown me that a moment of inattention can undo years of work and support. It is a painful but necessary lesson in humility.“Going forward, I will engage even more actively in initiatives that support children and youth, and I will take actions against violence and hate. I believe that only through actions can I rebuild the trust I have lost.”Yeti Coolers Boss Issues Apology for Being Spotted Using an Igloo at Company PicnicCrocs CFO Issues Apology After Referring to Product Line as “Ugly But Profitable”Beyond Meat CEO Apologizes After Being Seen Eating a CheeseburgerMore What Has Been Showing Up in Random Workplace TestsMore Fentanyl Shows Up in Random Workplace TestsThe positive rate for urine tests indicating the presence of the synthetic opioid fentanyl was 1.13% in 2024. That is up from 0.91% in 2023 and double the rate in 2020, according to a recent analysis of more than eight million drug tests by Quest Diagnostics, one of the U.S.’s largest drug-testing labs.“We’re seeing trends that are outside of the norm that we see for other drugs historically,” said Suhash Harwani, senior director of science for workforce-health solutions at Quest Diagnostics.More Adderall Shows Up in Random Workplace TestsMore Kombucha Shows Up in Random Workplace TestsMore Xanax Shows Up in Random Workplace TestsMore Melatonin Shows Up in Random Workplace TestsWhich headline is real?CEO of Japanese drinks giant Suntory resigns “over an unauthorized office sake brewing operation”CEO of Japanese drinks giant Suntory resigns “following questions about executive karaoke ...
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    32 m
  • Intel robbed the US government, the anti-DEI losing trade, the DEI purge, and Bezos feels “icky”

    Intel robbed the US government, the anti-DEI losing trade, the DEI purge, and Bezos feels “icky”
    Aug 29 2025
    Story of the Week (DR):The Cracker Barrel BSCracker Barrel scraps new logo design, keeps 'Old Timer' after listening to customersRestaurant chain's stock price sank following removal of 'Uncle Herschel' from brandingUncle Herschel wasn’t just a marketing creation, he was a real person. Born Herschel McCartney, he was the younger brother of Cracker Barrel founder Dan Evins’ mother and served as an early goodwill ambassador for the brand. A salesman for Martha White Flour Company for over three decades, Herschel traveled through rural America, building relationships in small-town general stores — the very kinds of places that inspired Cracker Barrel’s original design and ethos.When Cracker Barrel introduced its iconic logo in 1969, the old-timer sitting beside the barrel was long thought by fans to be based on Herschel himself, though the company later clarified that this wasn’t the case.In 2004, the Justice Department (during the George W. Bush administration) sued the chain for discriminating against Black customers. In 2006, they settled a lawsuit involving three of their Illinois restaurants for “discriminatory practices, racially charged language, and inappropriate touching.”Cracker Barrel’s inconvenient fact: all the customers who loved its old logo had stopped going to the restaurantFounder Dan EvinsHis tone was considerably harsher when it came to defending a January 1991 directive to all the company’s restaurants to fire employees “whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values.” Mr. Evins’s explanation for the edict was that gay people made customers in rural areas uncomfortable. As many as 16 openly or suspected gay employees were promptly fired.“They actually put a policy like this in writing, which was, and still is, shocking,” David Smith, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.The New York City Employees Retirement System, which owned more than $6 million of Cracker Barrel shares, led other stock owners in using their votes and other legal means to organize resistance. In March 1991, Mr. Evins apologized and said the policy had been rescinded. But New York and its allies fought until 58 percent of the shareholders in 2002 persuaded Cracker Barrel’s board to vote unanimously to explicitly forbid antigay discrimination in its equal employment policy.In July 2001, shareholders replaced Evins as CEO with Michael A. Woodhouse, who at the time was serving as the company's chief operating officer. Evins maintained his position as chairman of the board.Prior to founding the company, Dan worked for Consolidated Oil, a company founded by his grandfather.Cracker Barrel took down Pride page after rebrand fiascoCompany faced criticism over modernist redesign and support for LGBT causes before stock reboundThe website link for Cracker Barrel’s Pride page, which used to boast that the company was "bringing the porch to Pride," now redirects to its "Culture and Belonging" page.Cracker Barrel previously sponsored the Nashville Pride Parade in 2024 and unveiled a line of rainbow-colored rocking chairs for Pride month. The company also has an LGBTQ employee resource group called the "LGBTQ+ Alliance," along with groups for veterans and other communities.Despite claims it's 'too woke,' Cracker Barrel actually has a fraught LGBTQ+ historyCracker Barrel received a score of zero on the inaugural index in 2002. The chain was criticized in the 1990s for discrimination against gay employees. In 1991, the company adopted a corporate policy stating that any worker who failed to demonstrate "normal heterosexual values" would be fired. Eleven employees were terminated under the rule, leading to boycotts and protests nationwide. Over time, Cracker Barrel’s HRC score improved, reaching 80 in 2021 after the company took several public pro-LGBTQ stances.58 percent of the shareholders in 2002 persuaded Cracker Barrel’s board to vote unanimously to explicitly forbid antigay discrimination in its equal employment policy.Proud Representation: Business Resource Groups: These voluntary, employee-led organizations are open to all employees and provide opportunities to network, develop leadership skills, and serve as cross-functional resources for our teams.AMPT (Advancing Modern Professionals for Tomorrow) aims to connect and empower modern professionals by promoting a community of inclusive, ambitious, and diverse members that unify through the Cracker Barrel to equip our community and leaders for the future. This BRG provides networking, development, and community outreach opportunities that supplement the professional and personal lives of its members.The mission of Be Bold is to cultivate and develop Black Leaders within the Cracker Barrel organization utilizing allyship, mentorship, and education to create a path to continued excellence as well as a vibrant and diverse community.B-Well: Cracker Barrel's Wellness BRG partners with the Benefits Department to ...
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