AirAsia’s CEO, Tony Fernandes, found himself at the center of a social media storm this week after posting a photo of himself receiving a massage during a management meeting. The controversial image, which has since been deleted, raised questions about professionalism and work ethics.
In a LinkedIn post, Fernandes captioned the photo with, “Got to love Indonesia and AirAsia culture that I can have a massage and do a management meeting.” He explained that it had been “a stressful week,” implying that the impromptu massage was a means of relaxation during the meeting.
The post, however, did not sit well with a significant portion of social media users who criticized the CEO for what they deemed as inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. One commenter on the post stated, “He should be setting an example of good work ethics and culture, not flaunting his body and privilege.” Another simply suggested that some CEOs should stay off LinkedIn altogether.
Some CEOs need to stay off LinkedIn pic.twitter.com/O4VAee5IRO
— Anoop Menon (@godsonlymistake) October 17, 2023
One Twitter user responded with a more lighthearted tone, remarking, “He literally removed… his shirt,” alluding to Fernandes’s shirtless state in the picture.
Meanwhile, a third user humorously suggested, “Maybe he should consider launching an account on a well-known content platform,” in a clear reference to OnlyFans.
Despite the backlash, there were some individuals who defended Fernandes, suggesting that the photo was an excellent example of how remote work and flexibility should be embraced.
