Elon Musk offers to purchase Twitter outright for $43bn

The controversial Tesla chief executive, who is one of the richest men in the world, said he would ‘unlock’ the platform’s ‘extraordinary potential’

Elon Musk: ‘If the deal doesn’t work ... I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder.This is not a threat,” Musk said in a message accompanying his purchase proposal.’ Picture: Getty

Elon Musk has made a controversial offer to buy Twitter, the social media platform, saying the company has extraordinary potential and he is the person to unlock it.

The world’s richest person will offer $54.20 per share in cash, representing a 54 per cent premium over the January 28 closing price and a valuation of about $43 billion. The social media company’s shares soared 18 per cent in pre-market trading.

Musk, 50, announced the offer ...