Covid-19 is Making Routine Communications Anything But
In this charged environment, company actions that ordinarily would be routine can draw intense interest.
Remembering Two Lessons from William McDonough
Bank regulators live in obscurity, diligently keeping the wheels of finance spinning. Then a crisis arrives, and they are thrust into view. No one embodied that more than William McDonough, former head of the NY Federal Reserve Bank, who died last week. He is perhaps best known for quelling the market panic when a big […]
Uber’s Shareholder Revolt
Uber isn’t having a leadership crisis. It’s having a shareholder revolt. It has been clear for some time that imposing new procedures aimed at changing the company’s culture would require Mr. Kalanick to give up the reins as CEO. In normal circumstances, the board would decide on a course of action, take a vote and […]
A Quiet End to the Financial Crisis for Moody’s
It was easy to miss the news about the $864 million legal payout by Moody’s Investors Service over its ratings of crisis-era mortgage securities. It was announced on a Friday afternoon, just as the last of the Obama Justice Department staff was cleaning out their desks to make way for the new administration.
Why John Stumpf Got Fired
Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf announced his immediate retirement today. He wasn’t the first bank CEO to preside over a scandal, so why did he fall when others survived? There are four reasons.
Lululemon’s Phantom Director
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?
The Princes Revolt at Credit Suisse
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 […]
The Word a Bank CEO Should Never Use
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.
Argentina’s Quiet Conquest
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.
BlackRock Plays the Victim in ETF Drama
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?