What Adam Neumann has said about SoftBank Vision Fund

Neumann recounts agreeing to a $4.2 billion SoftBank investment that Masa wrote on an iPad during a single car ride.

“So we ended up agreeing on $4.2 billion. He takes an iPad. He writes it all down”

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: Adam Neumann: The Real Story Behind WeWork, A $4 Billion Cab Ride, And Surviving A $460 Million Debt (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:55

Neumann says Mark Benioff urged him to reject Masa's offer and take WeWork public instead.

“I want you to fly to Japan and say no to Masa. I want you to take your company public”

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: Adam Neumann: The Real Story Behind WeWork, A $4 Billion Cab Ride, And Surviving A $460 Million Debt (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:12:06

Neumann attributes the collapse of SoftBank's 2018 buyout offer to greed by board members on the special committee.

“And there, and this word is a dangerous one, but it's greed”

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: Adam Neumann: The Real Story Behind WeWork, A $4 Billion Cab Ride, And Surviving A $460 Million Debt (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:41:38

Neumann says SoftBank invoked force majeure in March 2020 to avoid paying the agreed $3 billion.

“on the last day of March 2020, we had a letter from SoftBank saying that this is force majeure”

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: Adam Neumann: The Real Story Behind WeWork, A $4 Billion Cab Ride, And Surviving A $460 Million Debt (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 2:04:50

Neumann says the litigation with SoftBank ended in a $1.5 billion settlement, half the original amount.

“When the litigation ends with a settlement of a billion and a half, so instead of the three billion, it ends up being half”

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett: Adam Neumann: The Real Story Behind WeWork, A $4 Billion Cab Ride, And Surviving A $460 Million Debt (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 2:04:07