The Billionaire Peace Negotiator | 3D Printing Wartime Role | Robotaxi Rivalry

Plus: This Russia-Born Billionaire Owns One Of The World’s Largest Game Developers. Amid The Ukraine War, He Navigates A Company In Turmoil.

Good morning.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s role in the peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv has become somewhat clearer—the billionaire appears to be trusted by both sides. We’re also covering Polish entrepreneurs’ efforts to get 3D printers to Ukrainians and increasing competition between driverless robotaxi services. Finally, check out our magazine’s latest cover story about the billionaire-owned gaming company divided over the Russia-Ukraine war.

In The News Today

In his first stand-up show after getting slapped by Will Smith on stage at the Oscars’ ceremony, comedian Chris Rock said he’s still “processing what happened.”

A proposed security deal between China and the Solomon Islands would allow Beijing to gain a foothold in the South Pacific, raising concerns in the U.S. and Australia.

Top Take-Aways

The mystery surrounding Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s reported poisoning—doubted by U.S. officials—persists, as a source close to the oligarch confirmed the incident to Forbes and also clarified Abramovich’s role in the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood, the high-profile stock picker, has offloaded more than $200 million in Tesla shares over the past week to instead splurge on recently struggling stocks like Coinbase, Zoom and Roblox, which have plummeted as much as 50% this year.

With 3D printing offering flexibility and speed in wartime supply chains, entrepreneurs in Poland are rushing printers across the border to their stricken neighboring country to create protective gear, tourniquets, periscopes—and even drones—for the Ukrainian defense.

Drones made by DJI, a $15 billion Chinese company, have become such an important part of Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion that officials in the besieged country are setting aside concerns about the manufacturer’s close ties to Beijing.

Self-driving company Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, is launching a driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco, going head to head with General Motors-backed rival Cruise, which started testing its autonomous vehicles with paying customers in February.

Grammy award-winning artist and musician Lizzo has teamed up with activewear company Fabletics to launch shapewear brand Yitty, to claim a slice of the fast-growing market dominated by companies like Sara Blakely’s Spanx and Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS.

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Sending a follow up email to reinforce your suitability for a role you've interviewed for for can make a difference between acceptance and rejection, as these three examples suggest.

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