BUT ON THIS BUSY NEWS NIGHT LET’S START WITH THE BREAKING NEWS
ABOUT AMAZON.
JO LING KENT REPORTS.
>> Reporter: AFTER
MORE THAN 25 YEARS AND
BILLIONS IN SALES,
JEFF BEZOS IS LEAVING
HIS POST AS CEO THIS
SUMMER.
HANDING THE REINS OF
THE MASSIVE DISRUPTOR
HE BUILT TO ANDY
JAFFE, THE CURRENT
HEAD OF AMAZON WEB
SERVICES.
IN AN INTERNAL E-MAIL
BEZOS, WHO WILL BECOME
EXECUTIVE CHAIR, SAID
"I INTEND TO FOCUS MY
ENERGIES AND ATTENTION
ON NEW PRODUCTS AND
EARLY INITIATIVES.
I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS
TRANSITION."
EARLY IN HIS CAREER
BEZOS LEFT HIS JOB IN
FINANCE, FOUNDING
AMAZON IN 1994.
HE SPOKE WITH NBC NEWS
ABOUT THAT CAREER MOVE
IN 1999.
>> BUT I MIGHT REALLY
HAVE REGRETTED NOT
HAVING PARTICIPATED IN
THIS THING CALLED THE
INTERNET THAT I
THOUGHT WAS GOING TO
BE A REALLY BIG DEAL.
>> Reporter: AND IT
WAS.
WHAT BEGAN AS AN
ONLINE BOOK SELLER
GREW FAST.
>> WORK HARD, HAVE
FUN, MAKE HISTORY IS
OUR MOTTO.
>> Reporter:
ULTIMATELY BECOMING A
MEGA ONLINE RETAILER
WITH MORE THAN A
MILLION WORKERS.
>> HE’S ALMOST
SINGULARLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR EVERY MAJOR THING
THAT THEY’VE DONE OVER
THE PAST 25 YEARS.
>> Reporter: THE
COMPANY IS OFTEN
CRITICIZED FOR
UNDERCUTTING SMALL
BUSINESSES BY
AGGRESSIVELY LOWERING
PRICES.
BEZOS IS NOW ONE OF
THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN
THE WORLD.
HIS RECENT DIVORCE
FROM MACKENZIE SCOTT
WAS ONE OF THE MOST
EXPENSIVE EVER.
AFTER HIS AFFAIR WITH
LAUREN SANCHEZ WAS
SPLASHED ACROSS THE
TABLOIDS.
BEZOS SAYS HE ISN’T
RETIRING, BUT AFTER
DECADES OF OVERSEEING
EVERY MAJOR PROJECT
HE’LL BE TAKING A
MAJOR STEP BACK.
BEZOS WILL ALSO STAY
INVOLVED WITH THE
"WASHINGTON POST,"
WHICH HE OWNS, AND
BLUE ORIGIN, HIS
PRIVATE SPACE COMPANY.