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Sequoia partners were reportedly not told before Botha joined SpaceX board
TechCrunch, citing the Financial Times, says unnamed sources described Sequoia partners as surprised when former steward Roelof Botha joined SpaceX’s board, a move a spokesperson said has not ended collaboration.
- New headline Was: “Sequoia partners reportedly blindsided when Roelof Botha joined SpaceX board”
- Our desk filed its story
TechCrunch, citing a Financial Times report, said Sequoia Capital partners were not given advance notice when former steward Roelof Botha joined SpaceX’s board this summer1.
Botha left the steward role last year. Sequoia this week announced it would close its London office, combine its early-stage and growth teams, and end its Scouts program1.
The FT, as summarized by TechCrunch, framed those steps as an effort to roll back Botha’s era at the firm1.
One unnamed source told the FT that Botha favored process and hierarchy and that other partners did not, according to TechCrunch1.
Another unnamed source told the FT the changes looked like an erasure of Sequoia’s heritage rather than of Botha’s personal legacy, TechCrunch reported1.
The rift with the firm deepened after Botha joined SpaceX’s board, TechCrunch said, noting that Botha and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk previously worked together at PayPal1.
A source told the FT that Botha did not seek compliance review or partnership sign-off, even though the seat could complicate Sequoia’s ability to trade a stake the FT put at $20 billion1.
A Sequoia spokesperson said the firm continues to collaborate closely with Botha1.
Neither Botha nor SpaceX offered on-record comment in the TechCrunch account, and the underlying FT article was not independently reviewed for this filing1.
