Ex-WeWork CEO Adam Neumann apologizes to Tim Cook for being 'an idiot'

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Ex-WeWork CEO Adam Neumann apologizes to Tim Cook for being 'an idiot'

Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Last updated 3 years ago

WeWork founder Adam Neumann says he blew a chance to learn from Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Speaking at the The New York Times DealBook summit, shortly after Cook's interview, Neumann recounted meeting Cook in person. He says he had a chance to listen to Cook, but instead just talked at him.

"It made no sense. I had the chance to sit in front of a great person like that and learn, and I was busy talking," he said. "Again, it was where I was at the time. I was not in the right place in that sense."

Neumann then said he was hoping Cook would be at the DealBook online summit on Tuesday so that he could say sorry for the meeting.

"I was going to apologize to him and tell him that if I ever get a chance to speak to him again," said Neumann "I will listen and I apologize for being an idiot back then."

It isn't clear when the meeting between Cook and Neumann took place, or under what circumstances.

Neumann is known for co-founding the embattled co-working startup WeWork. The interview Tuesday represents his first public comments since being ousted as CEO of WeWork.

Apple is currently working on a limited Apple TV+ series about the rise and fall of WeWork. As of July, filing on the project, dubbed "WeCrashed," was underway.

12 Comments

I wouldn’t worry, he wasn’t listening.

1 Like · 0 Dislikes

It’s refreshing to see someone have the guts to admit they were wrong.
We’re human. We make mistakes.

A big person admits it, learns, and grows as a person.

A small person denies, retaliates, “doubles down”, goes on the offensive, and otherwise makes a fool of themselves.

6 Likes · 0 Dislikes

Good idea not to insult people who can make a movie about you.

2 Likes · 0 Dislikes

Apple TV+ is having all these Progressive content on that you can find for free on over the air network broadcast channels and HBO channels and Prime as well as Netflix. Many people want to get away from this type of programming content and go back to real life situations, not how it should be content and leave out the politics too!

3 Likes · 0 Dislikes

said:

Apple TV+ is having all these Progressive content on that you can find for free on over the air network broadcast channels and HBO channels and Prime as well as Netflix. Many people want to get away from this type of programming content and go back to real life situations, not how it should be content and leave out the politics too!

Wow that was barely intelligible. No, you cannot get the sort of content from ATV+ “for free” over the air. Nor are HBO, Prime, or Netflix “free”.

I enjoy documentaries and docuseries. Hulu has a great documentary about WeWork, detailing exactly what sort of nonsense this CEO was peddling… They spend more than they take in, scamming investors while padding their personal net worths along the way. When the failed company crashes, the investors are the ones burned, while CEOs like this guy cash out and move on to their next train wreck.