Power Struggles
When billionaires fight, competition takes on a different form. Unlike ordinary conflicts, the battles between wealthy business magnates and heirs are often driven by vast sums of money and the future of entire industries.
Tim Cook Vs. Mark Zuckerberg
For a long time, Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg had different opinions on privacy and the tech industry's future. However, the real tension started to rise in 2018 when Apple introduced a major privacy overhaul with iOS 14, which included the App Tracking Transparency feature.
To Sneak Or Not To Sneak
As a result, Facebook's ability to track users across apps and gather advertising data was limited. The result? Facebook's ad revenues took a dive. Zuckerberg suggested that Cook's privacy policies were an attack on the free internet. Cook, on the other hand, defended Apple's commitment to user privacy.
Anthony Quintano, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Barclay Brothers
Famous twin brothers and identical twins Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay got involved in one of the most dramatic family disputes in recent history. The British billionaires were known for their discreet lifestyle and piled a fortune through investments in media and hotels.
The Barclay Twins by Rich Moody
The Ritz Tragedy
A few months before David passed on, the brothers disagreed about management and planning. Things became public when Fredrick accused David’s sons of secretly recording his private conversations at The Ritz to take control of their empire. The allegations led to a high-profile court case and a public fallout.
The Barclay Twins by Rich Moody
Taylor Swift Vs. Kim Kardashian
Fights and rivalries are also part of the entertainment business. A clear example is the modern pop culture saga starring Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian. It began in 2016 when Kim's former husband, Kanye West, released the song "Famous", which included a controversial lyric about Swift.
It Got Worse
Kanye claimed Taylor had approved the lyric, which she publicly denied. Kim released snippets of a phone call between Taylor and Kanye to support Kanye's story, and this led to a social media frenzy. Later, a phone call was leaked, which supported Taylor's original claims.
Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Marc Benioff Vs. Larry Ellison
Back in the early 2000s, Marc Benioff and Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle, had a major fallout. Benioff left Oracle in 1999 to create Salesforce, which was one of the major players in cloud computing. The tension began when Benioff's cloud-based CRM software challenged Oracle's dominance in enterprise software.
Robert Scoble, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Old Acquaintance Turned Enemy
Known for his outspoken nature, Ellison repeatedly criticized cloud computing. He called it vaporware and claimed that Salesforce's model was unsustainable. Over the years, both Benioff and Ellison have exchanged barbs at several industry conferences. In some incidents, Salesforce even outperformed Oracle in market capitalization.
Oracle Corporate Communications, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Coca-Cola Vs. Pepsi
No article about rivalry would be complete without mentioning the historical and ongoing feud between Coca-Cola and Pepsi. It all started in the late 19th century when Pepsi was introduced as a competitor to Coca-Cola, which had already established itself as a market leader in soft drinks.
A Hallmark Of Business Rivalries
Things got heated with the Pepsi Challenge, a blind taste test campaign that claimed people preferred Pepsi over Coke. Coca-Cola responded by reinforcing its branding to emphasize global unity with campaigns. Today, the rivalry continues globally, with both brands constantly innovating with new flavors and marketing campaigns.
Steve Jobs Vs. Bill Gates
Back in the 1970s, the competition got furious between the co-founders of Apple and Microsoft. Bill Gates partnered with IBM to create an operating system for their new personal computers. Steve Jobs, already the CEO of Apple, accused Gates of copying the graphical user interface design from Apple's Macintosh.
Matthew Yohe, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Creative Telepathy
Gates didn't accept the accusation and claimed that Apple borrowed ideas from Xerox's PARC research lab. The bitterness between the two intensified as Jobs' and Gates' operating systems competed. However, Gates made a controversial $150 million investment in Apple when it was struggling, and the two reconciled.
Kuhlmann /MSC, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Agnelli Family Feud
Being one of Italy's wealthiest families, the Angellis have been at the heart of Fiat's expansion. However, the family has seen its share of internal rivalries. The tension began in the 1980s when Giovanni Agnelli passed control of Fiat to his nephew, Umberto Agnelli, who followed a more conservative approach.
More Tension
After Umberto's passing, the feud intensified. John Elkann, Giovanni’s grandson, took over the helm of Fiat-Chrysler in 2009 to consolidate control. And what’s more? Margherita, Giovanni's daughter, wants to re-include herself and five children in the family's inheritance after selling out her share.
The Koch Family Feud
When Fred C. Koch found a new way to refine crude oil, he didn't expect his children to fight over it. The Koch brothers started to disagree when Charles and David took over the company, firing their brother Bill. Then, Bill and Fredrick sold their shares to Charles and David.
Fortune Brainstorm Tech, Flickr
Long-Lasting Disagreements
Initially, the brothers worked together, expanding Koch Industries into a diversified energy conglomerate. However, Frederick and Bill felt that they were shortchanged and went into a court fight. At the same time, Charles and David kept disagreeing about the best managerial style. Pettiness at its finest.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Elon Musk Vs. Jeff Bezos
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, has several enemies in the tech world. And his fight with Amazon and Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos is centered around space exploration. Both men are ambitious about multi-planetary projects, with SpaceX and Blue Origin rising as two of the leading private space companies.
The Royal Society, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
To The Outer Space
Their feud began in the 2000s when Bezos worked on developing reusable rockets and eventually colonizing space. In 2021, their rivalry heated up when Musk's SpaceX then launched astronauts to the International Space Station, while Blue Origin faced delays with its human spaceflight program.
National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution, Flickr
Ford Vs. Ferrari
Many consider this a legendary story of pride and ambition rather than a rivalry. Competition between Ford and Ferrari began in the 1960s when Henry Ford II decided to enter the world of European racing. Ford even attempted to buy Ferrari, which was dominating motorsports, to secure its expertise.
Hugo van Gelderen / Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
But Pride Comes First
Enzo Ferrari ended negotiations, offended by clauses in the deal that would give control of Ferrari's racing team to Ford. Infuriated, Ford II vowed to beat Ferrari on the track and invested millions into developing a race car capable of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans—the GT40.
Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Wikimedia Commons
Mark Zuckerberg Vs. Jack Dorsey
Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey's differences became obvious when Facebook began to outpace Twitter in terms of user engagement and market valuation. Zuckerberg's focus on building an all-encompassing social platform clashed with Dorsey's more minimalist vision for Twitter as a real-time news and communication platform.
Social Media Conflicts
More fuel was injected into the fight when Facebook dealt with the Cambridge Analytica controversy, and Twitter positioned itself as a more transparent alternative. Dorsey publicly criticized Facebook's handling of privacy issues and its monopoly on social media. Zuckerberg then attacked Twitter's limited growth and its struggles with content moderation.
JD Lasica, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Rinehart Family Feud
As one of Australia's most infamous business disputes, the Rinehart controversy was about Gina Rinehart, the country's wealthiest woman. Gina took control of Hancock Prospecting, the mining empire built by her father, after a fight with her stepmother. Then, she decided to reduce her children's shares in the company.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why, Mom?
These decisions sparked a legal battle between her and her children, John and Bianca Rinehart. The conflict escalated when Gina's children accused her of mismanaging the company. The fight became public when the children filed a lawsuit in 2011, demanding their rightful shares.
John Rinehart Interview by Christian Heritage London
Roman Abramovich Vs. Boris Berezovsky
Russian business moguls Roman Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky were once close allies. However, the two started fighting when Berezovsky accused Abramovich of coercing him into selling shares of their joint oil company, Sibneft, for a fraction of the value. Berezovsky sued Abramovich in a UK court for breach of trust.
Fars Media Corporation, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
No Justice Served
Considered one of the biggest civil fights in Britain, the case was dismissed. Abramovich denied the claims and filed another case, which ruled in his favor. In the tragic aftermath, Berezovsky passed away with doubts regarding foul play as he was the target of several assassination attempts.
Boris Berezovsky by Lara Hanna Einarsdottir
Larry Ellison Vs. Bill Gates
Although many people rely on Oracle and Microsoft products, their founders aren't on good terms. Bill Gates, who built Microsoft around the Windows operating system, and Larry Ellison, who was creating software solutions for businesses, often clashed over technological approaches and market share.
Oracle Corporate Communications, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
More Secrets To Reveal
Ellison was vocal in his criticism of Microsoft's tactics, accusing Gates of unfair business practices and monopolizing the tech industry. Microsoft was investigated by the government, and Ellison hired private investigators to prove that Gates' supporters were funded by his company.
Masaru Kamikura, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Evan Spiegel Vs. Mark Zuckerberg
While working on "Meta", Mark Zuckerberg managed to make a few enemies here and there. One of them is Evan Spiegel, the co-founder and CEO of Snapchat. Zuckerberg attempted to buy Snapchat for $3 billion, but Spiegel refused the offer because he believed in Snapchat's potential to grow independently.
cellanr, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fierce Competition
Meta quickly launched features similar to Snapchat's, such as Instagram Stories. Zuckerberg's aggressive strategy to mimic Snapchat's core features significantly slowed Snapchat's growth, but got him criticized for stifling competition. Despite the rivalry, Snapchat has continued to innovate, focusing on augmented reality and unique filters to differentiate itself.
AndersFrick, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Steve Jobs Vs. Michael Dell
Apple's founder (Steve Jobs) and Michael Dell of Dell had different philosophies about personal computers. In the mid-1990s, when Apple was struggling financially, Michael Dell suggested that Apple should shut down and return the money to its shareholders. Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 and took this comment personally.
Up For The Challenge
Jobs reignited Apple's pipeline by introducing the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. Dell, on the other hand, pointed to Apple's smaller market share as evidence that his business model was more successful. In a famous memo, Jobs announced that Dell was wrong when Apple's stocks were worth more than Dell's.
Verizon Vs. AT&T
Businesses like Verizon and AT&T can also get into bitter fights. AT&T initially had an edge as the exclusive carrier for Apple's iPhone, but Verizon closed the gap by expanding its 4G LTE network and acquiring the rights to sell the iPhone in 2011.
Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The More, The Merrier
Unlike other feuds, this one actually benefited the market. While they made references to each other in their ads, they also worked on improving the service for customers. The competition intensified when both companies entered the media space, with AT&T acquiring Time Warner and Verizon purchasing Yahoo and AOL.
Luismt94, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Gore Family Feud
W.L. Gore & Associates is a company known for its innovative Gore-Tex fabric. But the family behind it has a Succession-like drama. The children of Bill and Genevieve Gore had equal rights in the family's empire. But things got salty when the new generation took over.
Science History Institute, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Hard Feelings
The Gores set up a family trust system that would grant grandchildren shares based on the size of the family branch. Susan Gore, who had three children, unlike her siblings who had four, adopted her ex-husband to receive an equal share. However, this trick didn't work, and the resentment lingered.
Susan Gore - Liberty University Convocation by Liberty University
Rupert Murdoch Vs. Silvio Berlusconi
The European media world refers to the fight between Rupert Murdoch and Italy's media tycoon, Silvio Berlusconi, as "the Clash of the Titans." Once potential partners, Murdoch's News Corporation sought to expand its footprint in Italy by launching Sky Italia, a satellite television service that threatened Mediaset's dominance.
David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Power Struggle
Berlusconi was accused of leveraging political power to stymie Sky Italia's growth by implementing laws unfavorable to Murdoch's business. Murdoch, in turn, accused Berlusconi of anti-competitive behavior. The rivalry highlighted the intersection of politics and business, with both figures using their respective empires to wield influence.
paz.ca, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Pritzker Family
It's a bit unexpected that a family behind an incredible chain like the Hyatt Hotels would be involved in a family drama worth billions of dollars. But this is the story of the Pritzkers, who disagreed about the management of the family's multibillion-dollar trust.
East Asia and Pacific Media Hub U.S. Department of State, Wikimedia Commons
Stab In The Back
It all started when Robert Pritzker donated several billions to the family foundation. Years later, his nephews and nieces left his own children out of the cousin's plan of managing the family's fortune. A court fight resulted in the division of the business and hate that still lingers.
Courtesy PhotoUnited States Department of Defense, Wikimedia Commons
Carl Icahn Vs. Bill Ackman
A Wall Street feud between Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman put billions of dollars at the stake. The fight between the two investors took an unexpected turn when Ackman accused Herbalife of operating a pyramid scheme and publicly shorted its stock. Icahn took the opposite position, buying into Herbalife.
AviateHistory, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
As Seen On TV
In a public TV appearance, both men exchanged personal insults during a CNBC segment. Icahn used his vast resources and connections to drive up Herbalife's stock. This caused significant losses for Ackman. Icahn eventually seemed to win the battle, as he profited from his investment.
Senate Democrats, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Elon Musk Vs. Sam Altman
Coming up on the list once more, Elon Musk had a falling out with Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI. Their fight is fueled by their contrasting visions for the future of artificial intelligence. However, Musk was an early supporter of OpenAI and invested heavily in developing safe AI technologies.
No Longer Friends
Tensions arose when Musk stepped down from OpenAI's board, as he cited conflicts of interest. He later criticized OpenAI's shift from a non-profit to a for-profit model and its close ties with Microsoft. He later launched xAI in 2023 as a direct competitor to OpenAI. Seems like the tech moguls are at it again.
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