How the new AWS CEO will approach the challenges ahead

The choice of Matt Garman as the next CEO of Amazon Web Services puts a longtime product leader at the helm of the market-leading public cloud platform at a key juncture in its history, and a pivotal moment in the broader industry. Garman will lead AWS in the midst of a high-stakes technical race with Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, and others in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence. We spoke with people who know and have worked with Garman to learn more about his approach. Read more.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman showed up on stage at Microsoft’s Build conference Tuesday afternoon. The elephant in the room was not addressed. Read more.

Investors representing a majority of Amazon’s shares voted against all 14 outside proposals submitted for the annual meeting of shareholders Wednesday morning, according to the company. Read more.

Tech Moves: Madrona adds a Silicon Valley partner; Walmart execs join Nex; and more key personnel changes. 

• Related: Amperity CEO Barry Padgett is stepping down from the Seattle startup. Chris Jones, Amperity’s customer and product officer, will take over as interim CEO. Read more.

Opioid and alcohol addiction care startup Boulder Care raised $35 million to expand its virtual treatment platform to more markets. Read more.

Seattle fintech startup Copper Banking was forced to accelerate plans to shut down its banking services due to a disruption involving embattled banking-as-a-service platform Synapse. Read more.

A Redmond High School ninth grader is Washington state’s “Doodle for Google” winner for her artwork (above) titled “Small but Mighty,” depicting nature’s pollinators. Read more. 

Hot Links:

• A new ranking of the top paid U.S. CEOs includes the Seattle area's Mike Sievert of T-Mobile (No. 16), Boeing's Dave Calhoun (No. 26), and Costco's Craig Jelinek (No. 182). (Wall Street Journal)

• Microsoft and Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42 are investing $1 billion in Kenya, which will help build a data center powered by renewable geothermal energy. (Microsoft)

• Timmerman Traverse campaigns, run by Seattle biotech journalist Luke Timmerman, have given more than $10 million to tackle cancer, poverty, and sickle cell disease. (Timmerman Report)