Both GM’s Dan Akerson and Ford’s Alan Mulally arrived at their respective positions from outside the auto industry. The former is the “accidental car guy” while the latter is the aviation engineer. Their exits are being closely watched but for slightly different reasons.
Akerson, who became GM CEO just before its initial public offering three years ago, helped shepherd the fragile automaker through its final years under U.S. government ownership and leaves with the stock trading near a record high. He’ll be succeeded by Mary Barra, the product-development chief. According to Bloomberg, Akerson became the “accidental car guy.” He took the job of chief executive officer of General Motors Co. by default; out of a sense of duty. “I always knew I’d be viewed somewhat as a transition CEO. We had to right the ship, get it under way, not take it across the ocean,” Akerson told employees yesterday during a meeting that was posted on the Internet, according to USA Today.
He has spent the past three years working to complete a reorganization that was begun in bankruptcy. He often said it would take more than a six-week court action to make the company globally competitive. “Being CEO of General Motors is arguably the toughest auto job in the world just given the size, the complexity,” Adam Jonas, an industry analyst with Morgan Stanley, said in an interview in October. “Akerson has done a fine job of righting the ship.”
Speculation about Ford CEO Alan Mulally’s successor ended in 2012 when the board of directors announced Mark Fields’ promotion to a newly-created position of chief operating officer and said he would run day-to-day operations while Mulally stays through the end of 2014.
Some observers say the drawn-out process has worked so well that if Mulally leaves for Microsoft, his departure would barely ruffle any feathers inside or outside of Ford’s corporate headquarters.
“I think Ford has been a lot more transparent,” Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean at Yale School of Management, told USA Today. “The fact that they had a much more careful protégé relationship at Ford, I think, is to be admired.”
Akerson, who turned 65 in October, had been expected to step down within a year or so, and a competition was unleashed among four internal candidates to replace him. In contrast, Mulally has essentially made his succession plan clear years ago when Mark Fields was elevated to the position of president of operations in 2012.
Read: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/12/10/gm-ford-succession-plans/3973649/
Read: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-10/akerson-led-gm-from-ipo-to-end-of-government-motors-.html
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
