SoftBank and the pursuit of audacious dreams

A recently released memoir, 'The Money Trap' by Alok Sama, former CFO and President of SoftBank, reveals the pressures and pleasures of working for a large, aggressive investment house like SoftBank. A well-written book, it reveals the inner workings and personal rivalries that often arise in organisations reliant on a few high-performing, highly compensated individuals. In SoftBank, the most interesting personality is the founder - Masayoshi Son, whose style defines the company's culture. With an 'investment process' largely defined as 'what appeals to Masa', SoftBank's story and its founder repeatedly demonstrate how quirky geniuses can succeed and fail.

This article was originally published on January 01, 2025.