Goldman Sachs has had a string of ugly news headlines lately over its dealings with Libya’s sovereign wealth fund, its role in the collapse of a British retailer and its ties to an investment fund in Malaysia embroiled in a corruption probe. But this post is not about those things.
Can a public company have a phantom director and refuse to answer questions about it? Lululemon Athletica thinks so. But will it prompt big investors to take a tougher stand on director elections?
For a business that makes its living from intermediating disruption, Wall Street is remarkably inept at dealing with its own ebbing fortunes. Just look at the recent announcements from two big banks.
You almost feel sorry for Tidjane Thiam, the CEO of Credit Suisse. According to a New York Times article, he offended the firm’s princely investment bankers, apparently by speaking harshly to them and insisting they stop losing the shareholders’ money. Now they are throwing their Gucci loafers at him and warning the castle is about […]
Tidjane Thiam, CEO of Credit Suisse, uttered the one word a bank chief should never say. No, it’s not of the four-letter variety, but it might as well be.
Tucked away deep inside today’s newspaper was a small report that Argentina may be on the verge of ending its long fight with a group of hedge funds and rejoining the international brotherhood of debtor nations. It’s much bigger news than the coverage suggests. Chalk it up to Argentina’s new leadership – and its new communication strategy.
Portraying yourself as a victim can be a great communication strategy. It deflects attention and can even arouse sympathy. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has been playing the part masterfully ever since a volatile stock market exposed flaws in one of his company’s biggest products. But is BlackRock the victim – or the villain?
We are just days into the New Year, but the first PR coup of 2016 belongs to Charles Koch, head of Koch Industries and the demon-mogul of Democratic candidates everywhere. Mr. Koch gave a rare interview to the Financial Times that allowed him to pitch his ideas, refute his critics and send a message to […]
The days grow shorter. A dusting of frost appears. The season seems to arrive earlier every year. Yes, it’s time for the annual speculation about banker bonuses.
It’s been a busy week for Elizabeth Holmes, the wunderkind CEO of Theranos, a blood-testing company under fire after a news article questioned the effectiveness of its products. She’s done an admirable job of defending the company since, but that task would have been easier if she’d avoided four risk communication mistakes.