People

Xi’s new stature can overawe China’s market forces

25 Oct 2017

The president emerges from a key party congress with his name in the constitution, no successors in sight, and a mandate to push his agenda faster. Xi Jinping still talks reform, but this intimidated system may become more responsive to his whim than supply and demand.

Hong Kong’s new leader clears first hurdle

11 Oct 2017

In her maiden policy address, Carrie Lam unveiled lower taxes for small firms and more affordable housing for the middle class. Her proposals mark a decent start for tackling the city’s economic divide. If she follows through, Lam could earn support tackling more divisive issues.

India will miss its top banking chief

4 Oct 2017

Arundhati Bhattacharya’s four years atop the country’s largest lender have seen bad debt rise and the shares underperform. But she has made State Bank of India the best of an ailing bunch and stood up to errant tycoons. She sets a high bar for any successor.

Rivals circle Taiwan’s TSMC in new chip era

3 Oct 2017

Morris Chang, father of Taiwan's chip sector, is retiring at 86. His successors were groomed for years to take over the $189 bln behemoth Chang founded three decades ago. They'll need to work hard to defend TSMC's dominance against Samsung and rising mainland competitors.

UK CEO pay cut exposes compensation guesswork

3 Aug 2017

The average boss of a FTSE 100 company took home 17 percent less last year despite buoyant markets. Paying corporate leaders less assuages public opinion but underscores the challenge of linking pay to performance. Besides, CEOs still benefit from higher share prices.

Jain’s low-key Cantor role pins hopes on upside

3 Jan 2017

Ex-Deutsche Bank boss Anshu Jain is joining scrappy capital markets firm Cantor Fitzgerald. Though not the high-profile job he might have coveted, the German lender's travails during his stint in charge suggest why. Privately-held Cantor can grow outside the limelight.

New Pemex boss is emblematic of company’s curse

9 Feb 2016

Jose Antonio Gonzalez is a Harvard-educated economist who knows cost cutting and pensions. Making him CEO, rather than an industry veteran, points to the nature of the Mexican giant’s deep-seated woes. Because it’s more than just an oil company, it’s also less than one.

StanChart’s board clearout is nearly complete

8 Jan 2016

Deputy CEO Mike Rees will step down from the emerging market lender in April. His long-anticipated departure removes a key figure from StanChart’s discredited former regime. Now the bank just needs to announce a replacement for outgoing Chairman John Peace.

Ivan Glasenberg may be mining’s last man standing

31 Dec 2015

The Glencore chief outlasted his peers when the commodity boom turned in 2013. The sector may be due another shakeout in 2016 if prices keep falling. But Glasenberg’s big stake in Glencore and his newfound dash of humility mean his copper plating should last another year.  

CIT’s John Thain blazes trail for Jeff Immelt

22 Oct 2015

The boss of the once-struggling shadow lender is retiring after turning the firm into a decent bank. GE’s CEO is dismantling his company’s finance unit to get out from under onerous regulations applicable to lenders. A big reorganization offers a good chance for a graceful exit.

Bill Gross gets both personal and legal with Pimco

8 Oct 2015

The former boss of the $1.5 trln investment firm has sued over his exit last year. He paints former colleagues like Mohamed El-Erian as greedy and duplicitous and argues he’s entitled to more of an expected $250 mln 2014 payout than he received. No one comes out looking good.

DuPont succumbs to activist in absentia

5 Oct 2015

Ellen Kullman is retiring as chair and CEO of the $45 bln chemical giant, five months after fending off a pushy Nelson Peltz. Another profit warning and an interim boss who’s a restructuring guru suggest an abrupt transition. DuPont may have to give a breakup another hearing.

New Twitter CEO flaps with one wing behind back

5 Oct 2015

Co-founder Jack Dorsey is now the micro-blogging site’s permanent boss. But he also leads payments service Square, which is considering an IPO later this year. Perhaps he can succeed at these two very demanding jobs. Twitter, though, has saddled its investors with a risky gamble.

Ralph Lauren’s new CEO saddled with high hopes

30 Sep 2015

The fashion icon passed over his son to hire Gap’s Stefan Larsson to run the family-controlled clothier. Corporate America is increasingly open to outside bosses, despite notable failures. Expectations also can be excessive. After all, investors have valued Larsson at $1.6 bln.

VW could use bank-style clawback of CEO pay

23 Sep 2015

Martin Winterkorn’s resignation clears the way for sweeping changes at the sprawling carmaker after its costly emissions scandal. He was one of Germany’s best-paid bosses. Revamping compensation, and even trying to recoup some of the CEO’s cash, would send a strong message.

Tinder’s executive reshuffle could be right match

17 Aug 2015

The dating site dumped its CEO after just five months, replacing him with founder and former boss Sean Rad. Returning to an ex might seem risky, especially as parent Match prepares for an IPO. But IAC exec Greg Blatt is chaperoning as chairman. Tinder may be ready to get serious.

P&G’s Lafley leaves second act only half finished

29 Jul 2015

The $217 bln nappies-to-razors giant’s CEO passes the baton barely two years after returning to the job. A.G. Lafley has sold divisions, cut costs and killed duff brands, but P&G’s shares barely budged. It now falls to David Taylor to reignite growth - or risk activists’ ire.

Santander U.S. lobs spanner in gears of turnaround

7 Jul 2015

Shares in the Spanish bank’s American auto lender slumped 8 pct after a surprise CEO change before the July 4 weekend. Departing boss Thomas Dundon also bagged a whopping $1 bln exit deal. Such abrupt execution shows Santander’s U.S. operations do not yet have their act together.

Maybe Twitter’s next CEO will be Larry Page

11 Jun 2015

Co-founder and Chairman Jack Dorsey will run the $23 bln micro-blogging company until a replacement for Dick Costolo is found. Leadership turmoil has plagued Twitter for years and impeded its growth. The time is ripe for a buyer to charge in. Google is one good candidate.

Rupert Murdoch’s step back propels dynasty forward

11 Jun 2015

The octogenarian mogul is starting to hand off the Fox media empire to his two sons. Ceding the CEO title to James and making Lachlan an executive chairman should rile non-Murdoch shareholders, who routinely snub the brothers. Chase Carey’s exit crowns the royal succession.