Just two years ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Singapore were caught in an online spat over electric vehicles. Today not only has Singapore welcomed his electric cars to our shores, we’re also welcoming the controversial man himself.
Come November, Musk, 49, will join other entrepreneurs and global leaders at the annual Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore for a four-day event.
“The New Economy Forum is a chance for leaders to talk with one another and think big on these and other key issues – including the challenges and opportunities around climate change,” former New York Mayor and failed presidential candidate Michael R. Bloomberg said in a news release. “ We’re looking forward to returning to Singapore, one of the world’s most innovative cities and home of the inaugural forum.”
Other than the SpaceX billionaire, Bloomberg did not reveal other guests who will be attending the Singapore event when contacted by Coconuts. The invite-only event is expected to have about 400 attendees.
Bloomberg said this year’s forum will gather the world’s most influential business leaders, tech innovators, government officials and academics from both public and private sectors to discuss topics on health, climate change, social inequality, globalization and finance.
The Bloomberg forum community is made up of 650 business leaders from more than 60 countries, with founding partners from companies such as Mastercard, HSBC Bank and Hyundai. It will be held Nov. 16 to 19.
In February, Singapore gave Tesla Inc. the green light to sell its electric cars in the country as part of its agenda on sustainable development. It was a contrast from just three years prior when Musk, known for his Twitter tirades, said that Singapore was “not supportive of electric vehicles,” adding a year later that Singapore’s government was “unwelcome” of his products.
His comments were later shot down by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who said that Musk was pushing for a “lifestyle” when the country was looking for “proper solutions” to climate problems.
Among other controversies the billionaire has courted was stirring up anti-vaccination fears late last year as they began to reach the market.
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