investor relations - Mahony Partners

Oct

2011

MF Global’s Fatal Mistake

Financial Services, Taking & Managing Risk

At this hour, executives and MF Global are huddling with bankers and lawyers, trying to come up with a deal to sell the firm. It must seem like a surreal exercise, since just days earlier the firm held a solid investment-grade credit rating and a market cap of $620 million. Now, as its clients turn away and its cash evaporates, CEO Jon Corzine is running out of time and options.Selling a financial firm isn’t an easy process, particularly in an edgy market. Doing it in a couple of days is only for the foolhardy or the desperate. For MF Global,... Read More

Oct

2011

Firing the CEO: Olympus in focus

Taking & Managing Risk

The messy firing of Olympus CEO Michael Woodford provides another example of the challenges in communicating an executive exit. The Japanese camera and medical-imaging company last week fired Woodford, its first non-Japanese CEO, after less than a year. In announcing his dismissal, Olympus cited Woodford’s inability to work effectively with Japanese managers and chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, the former CEO. Woodford countered today, ... Read More

Sep

2011

3 Communication tips when firing the CEO

Financial Services, Taking & Managing Risk

Last week Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE: BK) abruptly announced that its CEO, Robert Kelly was leaving, citing “differences in approaches to managing the company.” The story made headlines for a day but was quickly forgotten, and the stock price has held pretty steady – both hallmarks of a communications success. Of course it helps that the bank doesn’t stir public passions the way some other banks do, and that its business dwells in the normally sedate world of securities custody and transaction processing. Still,... Read More

Aug

2011

3 Rules for public companies when attacking a critic

Financial Services, Taking & Managing Risk

Bank of America’s shot at Henry Blodget is a measure of how influential the blogosphere has now become in the financial markets. It’s also a reminder of the pitfalls of taking on critics publicly in any forum. For every company that has seen its stock price plummet, the scene within BofA is a familiar one: Shareholders are distraught, the board is urging the CEO to take action, the PR people are under pressure to staunch the bad ink - so the company decides to take a swipe at a critical analyst. Not so long ago, a public shooting was reserved for analysts at big-name firms o... Read More