Elon Musk’s No. 2 at SpaceX Does Damage Control
Gwynne Shotwell has helped turn SpaceX into one of the most valuable startups in America. But dealing with a series of Elon Musk controversies has made her job increasingly difficult and has put employees’ admiration of Shotwell to the test.
For years, many investors and employees at Space Exploration Technologies have regarded the company’s No.2 executive, Gwynne Shotwell, as the adult in the room at the boundary-pushing rocket company founded by Elon Musk.
Her acolytes have lauded Shotwell’s ability to translate her visionary boss’s wild ideas into a business that has become the most valuable venture-backed startup in America, one that has won key clients such as NASA and has launched an ambitious satellite-based internet service. Respect for Shotwell has run so deep at the company—better known as SpaceX—that some longtimers have a saying: They work for Gwynne, not Elon.
Lately, though, Shotwell’s handling of employee concerns about Musk’s conduct has put that admiration to the test.