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.

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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 Jeff Mills ; Walmart execs Thomas Kang Stephen Saiz 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 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 Sreet 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)

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