หลังจากเป็นข่าวใหญ่ในวงการ startup ทั่วโลก เกี่ยวกับพฤติกรรมล่วงละเมิดทางเพศของ Dave McClure ที่วันนี้กลายเป็นอดีตซีอีโอของ 500Startups, VC ที่ลงทุนใน startup จำนวนมากทั่วโลก อาจมีผลกระทบกับบริษัทในเครืออย่าง 500TukTuks ในไทย หรือ 500Durians ที่ดูแลในระดับเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้อยู่บ้าง
ในที่สุดวันนี้ McClure ได้โพสต์ข้อความผ่านทาง 500hats.com เพื่อแสดงความเสียใจและขอโทษต่อการกระทำที่ไม่เหมาะสมของตัวเอง
เนื้อหาในการโพสต์นั้น ไม่ปฏิเสธข้อกล่าวหา และยอมรับการปลดจากตำแหน่งผู้บริหารสูงสุดของ 500Startups และยังยอมรับว่า ตัวเองได้ใช้อำนาจหน้าที่เพื่อประโยชน์ในการล่วงละเมิดทางเพศกับผู้หญิงที่ต้องทำงานด้วย (ซึ่งรวมถึงการเข้ามาระดมทุนของ startups)
McClure ยังได้ขอโทษโดยตรงต่อ Sarah Kunst หญิงสาวที่ถูกกล่าวถึงผ่านสื่อของ New York Times รวมถึงหญิงสาวคนอื่นๆ พร้อมทั้งขอรับผิดชอบต่อการกระทำที่ผิดและไม่สมควรได้รับการให้อภัยแต่เพียงผู้เดียว โดยเรื่องนี้ Christine Tsai ซีอีโอคนใหม่ของ 500Startups และทีมงานทุกคน ไม่มีส่วนรู้เห็นหรือเกี่ยวข้องด้วย
ปิดท้าย McClure ยืนยันว่า 500Startups ยังคงมีนโยบายสนับสนุนความแตกต่างทุกรูปแบบในสังคม ทั้งทางเพศ ทางเชื้อชาติ และอื่นๆ สิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นคือความผิดของเขาคนเดียว
อ่านเนื้อหาโดยตรงได้ที่นี่ https://500hats.com หรืออ่านจากด้านล่างได้เลย
I’m a Creep. I’m Sorry.
By now you may have heard I fucked up, and people are calling me a creep.
While I’d like to believe that I’m not a bad or evil person, regardless it’s clear that some of my past actions have hurt or offended several women.
And I probably deserve to be called a creep.
So, what did I do?
I made advances towards multiple women in work-related situations, where it was clearly inappropriate. I put people in compromising and inappropriate situations, and I selfishly took advantage of those situations where I should have known better. My behavior was inexcusable and wrong.
With respect to the NYT article above and Sarah Kunst specifically, I’d like to sincerely apologize for making inappropriate advances towards her several years ago over drinks, late one night in a small group, where she mentioned she was interested in a job at 500. While I did not offer her a job at the time, a few days/weeks later I did refer her to my co-founder Christine Tsai to begin a formal interview process with 500, where Christine and others on the team met with her. Ultimately, 500 decided not to offer Sarah a job. Again my apologies to Sarah for my inappropriate behavior in a setting I thought was social, but in hindsight was clearly not. It was my fault and I take full responsibility. She was correct in calling me out.
For these and other incidents where I have been at fault, I would like to apologize for being a clueless, selfish, unapologetic and defensive ass.
To all those I let down, and especially to those I directly offended and hurt: I’m very sorry.
I’m ashamed I didn’t change my behavior until I was forced to do so by circumstance and by others. The reality is, I was stopped from further bad actions by those who spoke up about my offenses, at substantial risk to their personal and professional reputations… and subsequently, by Christine and others on the 500 team. I won’t try and thank any of those folks right now, or act like I wanted that ass-kicking. But yeah… guess I kinda needed that.
When confronted about what happened, I was at first defensive. What did I do wrong? We were just hanging out! Why are people so upset? I tried to present my crappy behavior in the best possible light. I didn’t have much empathy for the people I hurt and offended, and rather than face up to my own shallow motivations, I rationalized my actions and came up with reasons to find blame in others, rather than solely with me.
After several tough conversations with Christine and senior management at 500, I realized that — guess what? — *I* was the problem. I wasn’t full of goodness and light as I thought, and I needed to take a closer look at the stranger in the mirror staring back at me. Somewhere, I had lost the plot.
As a result of the above intervention, I agreed to hand over day-to-day management of 500 to Christine, and she is now leading 500 in the new role of CEO. My role has been limited to focus on fiduciary obligations to our investors as a general partner of our funds. Along with the above, I also started regular counseling sessions about a month ago to address my shitty behavior and poor judgement. I don’t expect anyone to believe I will change, but I’m working on it.
I’d like to state clearly that my past actions are most certainly my own fault and responsibility. Until recently, Christine and other senior management at 500 were unaware of my actions. Once they did become aware, they took steps quickly to investigate and prevent further inappropriate behavior. You can place the blame squarely on me, not Christine or anyone else at 500.
In the next few days as I get feedback from many (many) people, I plan to speak further with Christine and the 500 management team, our investors and advisors, and others to figure out the best possible outcome for 500. As this is a group of hundreds of people and companies, I would not want my individual interests to overshadow what is best for them (not me). I am also cognizant that many people outside 500 — including those I have hurt or offended — have strong opinions as well, and I am doing my best to listen.
My personal failures aside, 500 has long supported a diverse community of entrepreneurs including women, minorities, LGTBQ, international, and other overlooked founders. Despite my many mistakes, I sincerely hope 500 will be able to continue that mission. To the extent my actions have now made that more difficult, I am truly sorry to Christine and the 500 team, to our founders and investors and partners, to the larger global tech community, and again most specifically to the women I have hurt or offended, all of whom I have clearly failed.
And I know “sorry” means absolutely nothing right now.
Again, what I did was wrong. It wasn’t and isn’t acceptable. I’m working on behaving differently in the future. If you have suggestions or feedback or criticism, I’m open to hearing all of it. I’m guessing you probably have some.
Thanks again to everyone who has ever helped me/us along the way to 500.
Please continue that journey.
DMC
ขณะที่ในประเทศไทย ได้มีการโพสต์เนื้อหาชี้แจงจาก กระทิง พูนผล ผู้บริหารกองทุน 500TukTuks เนื้อหาดังนี้
source: 500hats.com, techcrunch.com
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