O Brother, Who Art Thou?

From Palo Alto to Park Avenue, the man in the cowboy hat cuts a striking figure. But who exactly is Kimbal Musk, and what does he want? Answers below.

- HORACIO SILVA

There was no shortage of scene-stealers at the old Four Seasons restaurant in New York City on a recent fall night. The Kering Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the owner of Gucci and Bottega Veneta, had corralled an A-list posse that included Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Nicole Kidman for its second annual Caring for Women dinner. But for all the star wattage at the Pool, it was hard to miss the man in the 10-gallon cowboy hat and matching belt buckle. 

Kimbal Musk, the brother of Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon, the richest man in the world, is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist in his own right (with a net worth of $700 million and counting), and on this solemn occasion he was preening in a glimmering black suit that recalled the country singer Dwight Yoakam. Was there about to be a gunfight on the charity circuit, or did 47th-richest man in the world), Musk frère made small talk with Kim Kardashian and Lauren Sánchez, the girlfriend of Jeff Bezos, the third-richest man on the planet. More than one inquiring mind wondered about the affable fellow in the Stetson. Is he the aw-shucks optimist he appears to be on the international do-gooder scene, or the gregarious face of the controversial Musk clan, all hat and no cattle?