Peterson Conway VIII, a tech recruiter specializing in protection, made a bold move in 2023 by arriving at the offices of innovative nuclear fusion startup Fuse in his distinctive black Suburban, adorned with his signature cowboy hat. As he grasped a current issue of Fuse magazine, he launched into a narrative about his bygone recruiting days, sharing colorful stories from a era long past. Prostitution services attended a recruitment event, with Conway taking pains to emphasize that the focus was not on sexual encounters, but rather on professional opportunities.
The newly rented apartment lacked a sense of comfort. “As he reflected on his earlier instruction, Conway couldn’t help but laugh at his own embarrassment, acknowledging that he had indeed been ‘a bit of an arsehole’.”
Fusible founder JC Batieche became aware of the conversation and swiftly decided to terminate Conway’s employment, citing multiple issues beyond just sharing the prostitution-related story as the primary reason for his dismissal, according to an interview with TechCrunch where Btaiche explained the circumstances surrounding Conway’s departure.
Although Conway had grown into one of the protection tech industry’s most influential power brokers working behind the scenes, he did not give up on Fuse. Over the past decade, Conway has assembled top talent for several prominent tech companies in Silicon Valley, including Palantir and Mach Industries. For nearly five years, he concentrated on recruitment at Joe Lonsdale’s venture capital firm 8VC, serving both the agency and its portfolio companies. Since the past year, he has led expertise at enterprise agency A* Capital.
Despite being rejected, Conway persisted in presenting potential nominees to Baiche, leveraging his private aircraft for lavish trips and offering extravagant gifts, including excursions to “blow things up in the desert”, as he recalled. Following a period of several months, Fuse decided to reinstate Conway. Laura Thomas, a seasoned former CIA officer and Fuse’s chief technology officer, has been joined by more than seven individuals who have brought their expertise to the organization under his leadership.
Conway, a quintessential embodiment of the entire trade, presents an enigmatic figure: affluent, decisive, prone to regaling listeners with outlandish yarns, and, by all indications, possessed of impeccable sense. According to a dozen individuals interviewed by TC for this story, Conway has developed a remarkable talent for enticing exceptionally talented professionals away from secure employment and into the startup sphere. “There’s a fine line between eccentricity and brilliance,” he said. “In my opinion, he’s precisely at his boundary.”
As technology funding surged in its final year, Conway successfully persuaded the subsequent generation to develop cutting-edge nuclear reactors and AI-powered weaponry.
In the Valley, a community of young professionals has flourished, primarily employed in defense or national security fields, tackling complex and challenging issues, according to Gregory Dorman, a Princeton graduate who collaborated with entrepreneur Kevin Hartz on his new security startup, Sauron, facilitated by Conway’s introduction. Because of Peterson’s influence, they are present.
‘Doesn’t comply’ with security laws
Conway’s signature move is to give job-seekers a bird’s-eye view of their future by flying them in his small plane. He quips, “I persuade clients by jokingly claiming I’m making them ill until they agree to accept our proposal’s terms.”
I first encountered him at the San Carlos Airport, just prior to boarding his compact two-seat plane, which he had acquired through a loan from Shyam Sankar. A warning chime within the cockpit alerted me: “This experimental light-sport aircraft does not conform to standard federal regulations, as it is not a conventional airliner.”
As we hovered above the glittering San Francisco Bay, Conway regaled us with a tale that was equal parts whimsy and grit, recounting the twists and turns of his remarkable life. Peterson Conway VII’s father had navigated a path of avoidance when faced with the prospect of military service, instead venturing to Tokyo where he acquired LSD. This unconventional trajectory eventually led him to relocate to Afghanistan in the 1970s, accompanied by Conway’s mother, a Mormon college instructor who had left her academic pursuits behind. Following a series of adventurous exploits across the Middle East and Africa, they relocated to Carmel with the goal of supporting Conway and his brother, but ultimately ended their marriage in divorce.
As we flew above the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Conway’s casual tone belied the gravity of his words: “My dad took a fatal leap from that very spot.” Afterward, he clarified that the individual’s attempt at self-harm had been unsuccessful. His father, a former catch, thrives in his Carmel-based antique shop, where he enthusiastically showcases his treasured finds.
After rebelling against his father’s unconventional lifestyle, Conway briefly attempted to conform to societal norms by enrolling in economics at Dartmouth College. As the early 2000s unfolded, he found himself transitioning into a career as a recruiter.
As Conway navigated the streets of San Francisco on his motorcycle, he embodied a modern-day cowboy in pursuit of a prime workspace to call his own. As he approached the warehouse, he spotted the distinctive ramp leading up to the main entrance, and without hesitation, he guided his bike onto it before sprinting directly into the path of Hartz. At the time, Hartz was in the initial stages of building Xoom, a fintech platform designed to facilitate international money transfers, which would later be acquired by PayPal.
Conway revealed that Hartz had inquired about his area of specialization. “None,” Conway answered. “However I can carry lunches. I’m an honest author. I owned an Airstream trailer; I simply decided to list it online.
When I asked Hartz about the narrative, he chuckled and countered, “It’s all completely fabricated.” According to Hartz, Conway simply leased office space within the same building, which served as the starting point for recruiting staff for Xoom, eventually expanding to include a larger pool of PayPal employees.
In 2003, Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal, seized the opportunity to launch Palantir, a venture that would change the course of history. As fate would have it, Alex Conway found himself at the right moment, seizing the initiative to build the agency from scratch, thereby laying the groundwork for what was yet to come. According to sources, Jack Conway didn’t hold an official title at the security firm; instead, he was affectionately referred to as “simply Peterson,” likened by colleague Gabe Rosen, a humanities expert at 8VC and former Palantir collaborator, to mononymous artists like Prince or Madonna.
Palantir dispatched Conway globally to establish its international offices. According to Conway, the corporation sought employees possessing an inner compass and conviction, people having wrestled with the values instilled in them from childhood, forging their unique journey.
According to Conway, he received bizarre requests such as: “Find a Jew who married a Christian from rural Australia and is openly gay.” Palantir remained silent on this matter.
Noting a distinctive touch in his recruitment efforts, Conway earned recognition for personally crafting and sending handwritten letters to potential prospects, adorned with elegant wax seals that added a touch of sophistication to his outreach approach. His profit-generating strategies have yielded impressive results, attracting high-profile professionals such as Michael Leiter, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and numerous global talent recruits for Palantir.
Unconventional strategies
Last summer, Conway and his father took a trip to the Mojave Desert, flying to their destination on Hartz’s plane, which had been loaned to them for the occasion. In a peculiar display reminiscent of fleeting American dynamism, observers spotted a group of youthful males affixing a drone to the rear of a pickup truck.
At 19, Ethan Thornton founded Mach Industries, a weapons company, and conducted a rigorous testing session to put its products to the test. Machines Inc. stands out as one of the select few protection and hardware companies that has had the privilege of having Conway on board as the head of expertise at A*. Mach has since garnered significant funding from notable investors such as Bedrock and Sequoia Capital, raising its profile further.
As the other male cadets prepared orange cones and explosives for their engineering tests, Conway piloted Hartz’s plane on trips for others. As he hit rock bottom repeatedly, the instances piled up, and his plane finally crash-landed in the harsh Mojave desert. “Conway disputed Hartz’s claims, stating that the plane was simply ‘acquired at a fair price’ and that he had only lost a window covering.”
According to Conway’s account, he brought on board Gabriela Hobe, a former SpaceX employee, alongside Fasil Mulatu Kero, Vice Chairman of Production at Mach, who also had experience working at Tesla. Conway claimed that Ethan had likely compensated him with more than $1 million to perform tasks on his behalf, although he subsequently retracted this statement.
In the world of cybersecurity, whispers abound about Conway’s extraordinary exploits. One notable anecdote revolves around an unsuspecting entrepreneur who summoned an Uber, only to strike up a conversation with the driver. In a stunning turn of events, Conway suddenly offered to arrange a meeting and encouraged the founder to interview the driver for a potential job opening.
At one point, Fuse co-founder Btaiche recalled that Conway carelessly left his Porsche at the airport with the keys still inside, prompting a recruit – an authority figure at the time – to jump behind the wheel upon arrival. The corporation later clarified that they had lent a four-seat Porsche to the candidate, a move aimed at reducing their Uber expenses.
The candidate commandeered the Porsche to transport themselves to their conferences and capped off the day by retiring to Conway’s opulent estate in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a luxurious haven abuzz with an eclectic mix of family heirlooms and exotic treasures garnered from their father’s adventurous forays. Conway regularly hosts dinner gatherings for aspiring politicians at his residence, where his father takes charge of the culinary duties. These events range from milestone celebrations, such as birthdays like Joe Lonsdale’s, to intimate occasions like weddings, including Sankar’s nuptials.
While Baichte noted that Conway’s true superpower wasn’t his physical feats, but rather his ability to engage with “candidates in a more human way, rather than just scrutinizing resumes and credentials.”
To identify potential leaders at Fuse, Conway collaborated with Btaiche to explore whether certain upbringing experiences might cultivate individuals capable of leading a team or introducing innovative ideas to engineers. This led them to seek out candidates from rural backgrounds, those who grew up as athletes, and gamers with an intense passion for the activity.
Since Conway successfully sells individuals on the significance of defending America to profitable candidates. “For individuals deeply invested in a mission-driven endeavour,” Peterson’s writing abilities suggest he can deliver a compelling narrative.
At Princeton, Dorman was a philosophy major grappling with career choices between the Valley and New York when he encountered the renowned recruiter. Conway’s persuasive efforts ultimately convinced him to settle on the Valley as his destination. “He persuasively argues that those who follow Peterson’s guidance will discover a vast expanse of personal growth and exploration.”
In the Valley, Conway had long positioned himself as a cowboy of sorts, and it seems the rest of the tech industry is finally catching up. Andreessen Horowitz’s concept of American Dynamism has garnered significant attention recently, with its focus on government-adjacent companies prompting widespread interest. “It’s simply good. Conway noted that her fixation had reached the precipice of obsession. “It has grown into its own faith.”
Predominant character vitality
Conway is often characterized as a genius and a pioneer in the field of cybersecurity, with some accounts also highlighting his controversial involvement.
Several days after my flight on his aircraft, he contacted me, inquiring, “Had you reviewed the briefing?”
The day before, Conway had taken an early morning flight from Carmel’s airport to Silicon Valley at 6 am. In the pre-dawn gloom, Conway’s fingers fumbled for the flashlight as he checked his fuel gauge, resulting in an incorrect reading due to his lack of illumination. He acknowledged that his mistake was entirely due to his own pilot error, a sole assumption that went awry. As he flew, he suddenly became aware that his fuel levels were insufficient to reach the nearest airport.
As Conway recounted the tale, he spun it with flair, likening his own journey to an epic struggle between two divergent paths, each representing a choice between virtue and vice. Initially, he believed his best chance of settling down lay in securing a spot on the athletic field of a nearby university. “As I watched, my anxiety spiked because I realized that a child wouldn’t stand a chance against a spinning propeller.”
As the pilot made an emergency landing on Freeway 85, he deliberately veered towards the flow of oncoming traffic, attempting to minimize risk to motorists by situating the aircraft away from potential harm. Miraculously, his sleek two-seater airplane landed smoothly on the concrete, without causing any damage to Conway or the surrounding vehicles.
Conway cautioned me that my fate had narrowly escaped mirroring hers, a sobering reminder of the fragility of our existence. “If we’d flown for even a minute longer, we risked running out of fuel,” he explained.
The instructor’s claim didn’t quite add up at first; however, he subsequently revealed to me that he had actually flown the aircraft at least once more following our training session. With masterful brushstrokes, he brought to life the essence of our shared odyssey, imbuing it with an existential hue that lingered long after we parted ways. After an intense day in his company and two months of meticulous research debunking his tall tales, I discovered that Conway excels uniquely in spinning epic narratives. Because of his exceptional skills, he will have numerous job opportunities with top-notch companies. And fired. Following which he was re-hired just as quickly again.
While Dorman praises the recruiter’s unorthodox approach, he insists that this individual stands out even more for their exceptional abilities.
