Piotr Szczerek, a Polish entrepreneur and owner of road surfacing giant Drogbruk, has been put in the global limelight following a unfortunate moment caught on camera when he snatched a signed tennis cap destined for a child at the US Open. The viral controversy has since been late-motiv on social media and put the millionaire’s wealth and success in the spotlight.
A viral scandal on a tennis’s big stage
The outrage began when Polish player Kamil Majchrzak tossed his autographed cap in the direction of a young boy, Brock, after beating Karen Khachanov. Footage captures Szczerek swiping the moment, taking the hat, and shoving it into his wife’s bag as the child cried out in protest.
The video became a viral hit in hours on social media, with detractors labeling Szczerek “entitled” and “disrespectful.” Others went so far as to compare him to other viral villains, nicknaming him the “Coldplay kiss-cam CEO.” As the heat kept rising, the executive reportedly shut down his social media accounts to silence the backlash.
Who is Piotr Szczerek?
Far from a name known in every household before the accident, Szczerek is a seasoned businessman in Poland. Together with his wife, Anna, he founded Drogbruk in 1999, one of the leading suppliers of paving stone and ornamental concrete in their nation.
Drogbruk provided sidewalk, patio, and driveway aggregate and established a reputation for quality throughout Poland’s building industry. Drogbruk also sponsored youth tennis and Davis Cup matches, rendering the US Open instant so ironic, considering his ties with the sport.
Piotr Szczerek’s net worth
While there are no official figures available, publications such as ‘The Times of India’ and ‘The Economic Times‘ term Szczerek a millionaire CEO. His fortune is largely due to Drogbruk’s twentieth-century expansion and its monopoly on Poland’s construction market.
Experts in the industry claim although Szczerek’s actual wealth has not been announced, the fortunes of Drogbruk have positioned him among the famous faces of Poland’s private sector business.
Public outrage and damage control attempt
The consequences over the cap-snatching incident has been instant. People on ‘X‘ have called to boycott products from Drogbruk, and memes ridiculing Szczerek’s conduct keep appearing on social media. Accounts say he approached the child’s family, but the move has failed to stop all the criticism he is currently facing.
In the meantime, Majchrzak himself stepped in, going out of his way to find the teen fan and replace him with new gifts, including a signed cap, an action that was universally admired.
For Piotr Szczerek, years of commercial success and wealth have meant nothing when it came to face all the backlash behind him. Though millionaire status and good name for Drogbruk have not changed, the scandal serves as a reminder of how quickly public opinion can collapse in the era of the internet.
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