Bill Ackman confronted over his DEI criticisms behind closed doors at Milken conference: report

Billionaire hedge money head Bill Ackman was confronted by Wall Street executives during a closed-door convention astatine a convention over his past criticisms of diversity, equity and inclusion policies (DEI), according to a report.

Ackman held tribunal during a bid of discussions devoted to DEI astatine nan Milken Institute Global Conference successful Beverly Hills connected Monday.

A group of dozens of executives, which included immoderate of Wall Street’s astir elder number firm leaders, were vocally captious of Ackman for saying that DEI was “inherently a racist and forbidden movement,” according to Bloomberg News.

Panelists and assemblage members who attended nan invite-only arena fto Ackman cognize astir their views during a backstage convention held down closed doors, Bloomberg News reported.

Ackman was speaking connected a sheet alongside Jarvis V. Hollingsworth, chair of nan Teacher Retirement System of Texas; Miami Beach existent property executive Don Peebles; Guggenheim Investments President Dina DiLorenzo; and John Hope Bryant, who heads nan financial literacy nonprofit Operation Hope Inc.

The Post has sought remark from Ackman, Hollingsworth, Peebles, DiLorenzo and Bryant.

Ackman gave a connection to Bloomberg News which read: “I person written thousands of words astir my nuanced views connected this important topic. I would inquire that group publication them to afloat understand my perspective.”

Ackman, nan laminitis and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management who has a nett worthy estimated by Forbes to beryllium astir $4.3 billion, began his crusade against DEI successful consequence to nan student-led pro-Palestinian protests astatine Harvard University and different elite colleges.

In consequence to Harvard’s alleged nonaccomplishment to ace down connected antisemitism, Ackman threatened to withhold donations to nan schoolhouse arsenic good arsenic to enlist different CEOs successful denying occupation opportunities to students who were recovered to person taken portion successful anti-Israel activities connected campus.

During his quality astatine nan Beverly Hills conference, Ackman said that DEI was to blasted for making group deliberation that they were “oppressed” by others, including Jews, who were branded arsenic “oppressors,” according to Bloomberg News.

Ackman was met pinch push backmost by those who encouraged him to reframe his criticism, which they opportunity undercuts diverseness programs crossed nan country, group acquainted pinch nan matter told Bloomberg News.

Conference attendees reportedly told Ackman that his comments astir DEI showed a mediocre knowing of nan civilian authorities activity arsenic good arsenic nan domiciled of American Jews successful helping blacks execute equality successful this country.

“We’re talking astir expanding nan array and adding a chair,” Bryant said successful a post-event interview. He declined to elaborate.

After Harvard President Claudine Gay stepped down successful early January, Ackman, who was 1 of Gay’s astir vocal critics owed to her consequence to anti-Israel student protesters connected campus, wrote a lengthy station connected X successful which he stated that DEI “was not what I had naively thought” it was.

“I person ever believed that diverseness is an important characteristic of a successful organization, but by diverseness I mean diverseness successful its broadest form: diverseness of viewpoints, politics, ethnicity, race, age, religion, experience, socioeconomic background, intersexual identity, gender, one’s upbringing, and more,” Ackman wrote.

Ackman criticized DEI arsenic “reverse racism” against achromatic group which “has go considered acceptable by galore not to beryllium racism.”

He said “that DEI was not astir diverseness successful its purest form, but alternatively DEI was a governmental defense activity connected behalf of definite groups.”