英特爾前首席執(zhí)行官帕特·基辛格的困境或許給那些經(jīng)歷“回旋鏢”式職業(yè)路徑的高管們敲響了警鐘:即便一家公司邀請(qǐng)你重返領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,并任命你為首席執(zhí)行官,蜜月期也可能轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝。
近日,英特爾董事會(huì)宣布基辛格卸任首席執(zhí)行官一職。該公司并未宣布繼任者人選,而是任命兩位高管為臨時(shí)聯(lián)席首席執(zhí)行官,以接替基辛格?;粮褚恢痹谟⑻貭柟ぷ?,擔(dān)任首席執(zhí)行官僅三年時(shí)間。英特爾還表示,基辛格將退出董事會(huì)。換言之,該公司幾乎沒給外界留下任何猜測(cè)其離職原因的空間。
基辛格在一份聲明中說(shuō):“今天無(wú)疑是百感交集的一天,因?yàn)樵诼殬I(yè)生涯的大部分時(shí)間里,英特爾一直是我生活的重心?!?/p>
作為回應(yīng),英特爾的股價(jià)在盤前交易中飆升了5%,但隨后再次下滑。圣塔克拉拉大學(xué)(Santa Clara University)萊維商學(xué)院管理學(xué)副教授喬-艾倫·波茲納(Jo-Ellen Pozner)表示,股價(jià)飆升很可能是董事會(huì)期望實(shí)現(xiàn)的目標(biāo)。她告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,公司往往會(huì)選擇發(fā)布此類重大聲明,原因是它們認(rèn)為華爾街會(huì)做出積極回應(yīng)。這是公司展現(xiàn)其對(duì)戰(zhàn)略轉(zhuǎn)型持嚴(yán)肅態(tài)度的一個(gè)信號(hào),尤其是當(dāng)高管不僅失去了其職位,還失去了董事會(huì)席位時(shí)。
波茲納表示:“當(dāng)首席執(zhí)行官被替換,且此過(guò)程中并未發(fā)生重大丑聞或任何不當(dāng)行為時(shí),他們往往會(huì)保留董事會(huì)席位,即便這可能只是一個(gè)名義上的職位。這種做法是對(duì)他們?cè)谌纹陂g所做貢獻(xiàn)的認(rèn)可,同時(shí)也是對(duì)其作為團(tuán)隊(duì)重要一員身份的肯定,盡管公司現(xiàn)在需要做出一些改變?!?/p>
她補(bǔ)充說(shuō),將基辛格從董事會(huì)中除名“似乎是雪上加霜”。
試圖扭轉(zhuǎn)局面
考慮到基辛格在公司的經(jīng)歷,他的突然離職出乎意料。早在上世紀(jì)80年代,他就在英特爾開始了自己的職業(yè)生涯,在那里工作了幾十年,直至2009年離開,轉(zhuǎn)而領(lǐng)導(dǎo)軟件公司VMWare。
從擔(dān)任英特爾首席執(zhí)行官開始,基辛格就肩負(fù)著扭轉(zhuǎn)公司頹勢(shì)的重任。英特爾曾是行業(yè)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,卻在尖端芯片技術(shù)上落后于競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者。此前,該公司對(duì)智能手機(jī)的興起反應(yīng)遲緩,錯(cuò)失了移動(dòng)設(shè)備芯片需求激增的良機(jī)。最近,它又未能預(yù)見到人工智能的蓬勃發(fā)展,只能目睹競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手英偉達(dá)(Nvidia)抓住這一機(jī)遇,市值飆升至3萬(wàn)億美元以上。
當(dāng)基辛格接任首席執(zhí)行官時(shí),他制定了一項(xiàng)雄心勃勃的計(jì)劃,這需要數(shù)年時(shí)間來(lái)逐步實(shí)施。在他的引領(lǐng)下,英特爾開始生產(chǎn)芯片并將其出售給其他公司。該計(jì)劃需要數(shù)十億美元資金,其中包括拜登政府的《芯片和科學(xué)法案》提供的約200億美元補(bǔ)貼。正如《財(cái)富》雜志報(bào)道的那樣,盡管有巨額投資,英特爾今年成果寥寥。相反,公司股價(jià)暴跌。8月份,該公司宣布將裁員15%,并尋求削減100億美元開支。英特爾的業(yè)績(jī)下滑如此嚴(yán)重,以至于有報(bào)道稱高通(Qualcomm)將其視為潛在收購(gòu)對(duì)象。
在此背景下,基辛格失去了董事會(huì)的信任。彭博社援引知情人士報(bào)道稱,因基辛格在追趕英偉達(dá)方面進(jìn)展緩慢,董事們對(duì)其感到不滿。英特爾董事會(huì)獨(dú)立主席弗蘭克·耶里(Frank Yeary)如今將暫代執(zhí)行主席一職。
遭解雇的一年
這對(duì)基辛格來(lái)說(shuō)可能起不到安慰作用,但他并非孤例,今年還有多位首席執(zhí)行官突然遭到解雇,其中包括CVS的凱倫·林奇(Karen Lynch)、派拉蒙全球(Paramount Global)的鮑勃·巴基什(Bob Bakish)和星巴克(Starbucks)的納思瀚(Laxman Narasimhan)。
高管咨詢公司光輝國(guó)際(Korn Ferry)今年秋天指出:“2024年似乎是眾多董事會(huì)對(duì)首席執(zhí)行官失去耐心的一年。”該公司發(fā)現(xiàn),今年上半年首席執(zhí)行官遭解雇人數(shù)創(chuàng)下歷史新高?;粮癫⒉皇俏ㄒ灰晃辉跊]有指定繼任者的情況下遭到解雇的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者:Peloton、萊迪思半導(dǎo)體(Lattice Semiconductor)和普爾斯馬特(PriceSmart)的情況也是如此。
波茲納認(rèn)為,在整個(gè)美國(guó)企業(yè)界,董事會(huì)可能因市場(chǎng)普遍的焦慮情緒而倉(cāng)促行事,尤其是在總統(tǒng)大選和特朗普計(jì)劃調(diào)整貿(mào)易政策的背景下:“當(dāng)前存在諸多不確定性,難以預(yù)測(cè)什么能讓人們感到快樂(lè),也難以把握人們?cè)谏铑I(lǐng)域真正追求的是什么。"
她補(bǔ)充說(shuō):“公司可能會(huì)采取大膽舉措,因?yàn)樗鼈儞?dān)心被甩在后面。”董事會(huì)似乎在想:"我們要嘗試一些方法。我們寧愿主動(dòng)出擊,也不愿坐以待斃?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
英特爾前首席執(zhí)行官帕特·基辛格的困境或許給那些經(jīng)歷“回旋鏢”式職業(yè)路徑的高管們敲響了警鐘:即便一家公司邀請(qǐng)你重返領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,并任命你為首席執(zhí)行官,蜜月期也可能轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝。
近日,英特爾董事會(huì)宣布基辛格卸任首席執(zhí)行官一職。該公司并未宣布繼任者人選,而是任命兩位高管為臨時(shí)聯(lián)席首席執(zhí)行官,以接替基辛格。基辛格一直在英特爾工作,擔(dān)任首席執(zhí)行官僅三年時(shí)間。英特爾還表示,基辛格將退出董事會(huì)。換言之,該公司幾乎沒給外界留下任何猜測(cè)其離職原因的空間。
基辛格在一份聲明中說(shuō):“今天無(wú)疑是百感交集的一天,因?yàn)樵诼殬I(yè)生涯的大部分時(shí)間里,英特爾一直是我生活的重心?!?/p>
作為回應(yīng),英特爾的股價(jià)在盤前交易中飆升了5%,但隨后再次下滑。圣塔克拉拉大學(xué)(Santa Clara University)萊維商學(xué)院管理學(xué)副教授喬-艾倫·波茲納(Jo-Ellen Pozner)表示,股價(jià)飆升很可能是董事會(huì)期望實(shí)現(xiàn)的目標(biāo)。她告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,公司往往會(huì)選擇發(fā)布此類重大聲明,原因是它們認(rèn)為華爾街會(huì)做出積極回應(yīng)。這是公司展現(xiàn)其對(duì)戰(zhàn)略轉(zhuǎn)型持嚴(yán)肅態(tài)度的一個(gè)信號(hào),尤其是當(dāng)高管不僅失去了其職位,還失去了董事會(huì)席位時(shí)。
波茲納表示:“當(dāng)首席執(zhí)行官被替換,且此過(guò)程中并未發(fā)生重大丑聞或任何不當(dāng)行為時(shí),他們往往會(huì)保留董事會(huì)席位,即便這可能只是一個(gè)名義上的職位。這種做法是對(duì)他們?cè)谌纹陂g所做貢獻(xiàn)的認(rèn)可,同時(shí)也是對(duì)其作為團(tuán)隊(duì)重要一員身份的肯定,盡管公司現(xiàn)在需要做出一些改變?!?/p>
她補(bǔ)充說(shuō),將基辛格從董事會(huì)中除名“似乎是雪上加霜”。
試圖扭轉(zhuǎn)局面
考慮到基辛格在公司的經(jīng)歷,他的突然離職出乎意料。早在上世紀(jì)80年代,他就在英特爾開始了自己的職業(yè)生涯,在那里工作了幾十年,直至2009年離開,轉(zhuǎn)而領(lǐng)導(dǎo)軟件公司VMWare。
從擔(dān)任英特爾首席執(zhí)行官開始,基辛格就肩負(fù)著扭轉(zhuǎn)公司頹勢(shì)的重任。英特爾曾是行業(yè)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,卻在尖端芯片技術(shù)上落后于競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者。此前,該公司對(duì)智能手機(jī)的興起反應(yīng)遲緩,錯(cuò)失了移動(dòng)設(shè)備芯片需求激增的良機(jī)。最近,它又未能預(yù)見到人工智能的蓬勃發(fā)展,只能目睹競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手英偉達(dá)(Nvidia)抓住這一機(jī)遇,市值飆升至3萬(wàn)億美元以上。
當(dāng)基辛格接任首席執(zhí)行官時(shí),他制定了一項(xiàng)雄心勃勃的計(jì)劃,這需要數(shù)年時(shí)間來(lái)逐步實(shí)施。在他的引領(lǐng)下,英特爾開始生產(chǎn)芯片并將其出售給其他公司。該計(jì)劃需要數(shù)十億美元資金,其中包括拜登政府的《芯片和科學(xué)法案》提供的約200億美元補(bǔ)貼。正如《財(cái)富》雜志報(bào)道的那樣,盡管有巨額投資,英特爾今年成果寥寥。相反,公司股價(jià)暴跌。8月份,該公司宣布將裁員15%,并尋求削減100億美元開支。英特爾的業(yè)績(jī)下滑如此嚴(yán)重,以至于有報(bào)道稱高通(Qualcomm)將其視為潛在收購(gòu)對(duì)象。
在此背景下,基辛格失去了董事會(huì)的信任。彭博社援引知情人士報(bào)道稱,因基辛格在追趕英偉達(dá)方面進(jìn)展緩慢,董事們對(duì)其感到不滿。英特爾董事會(huì)獨(dú)立主席弗蘭克·耶里(Frank Yeary)如今將暫代執(zhí)行主席一職。
遭解雇的一年
這對(duì)基辛格來(lái)說(shuō)可能起不到安慰作用,但他并非孤例,今年還有多位首席執(zhí)行官突然遭到解雇,其中包括CVS的凱倫·林奇(Karen Lynch)、派拉蒙全球(Paramount Global)的鮑勃·巴基什(Bob Bakish)和星巴克(Starbucks)的納思瀚(Laxman Narasimhan)。
高管咨詢公司光輝國(guó)際(Korn Ferry)今年秋天指出:“2024年似乎是眾多董事會(huì)對(duì)首席執(zhí)行官失去耐心的一年?!痹摴景l(fā)現(xiàn),今年上半年首席執(zhí)行官遭解雇人數(shù)創(chuàng)下歷史新高。基辛格并不是唯一一位在沒有指定繼任者的情況下遭到解雇的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者:Peloton、萊迪思半導(dǎo)體(Lattice Semiconductor)和普爾斯馬特(PriceSmart)的情況也是如此。
波茲納認(rèn)為,在整個(gè)美國(guó)企業(yè)界,董事會(huì)可能因市場(chǎng)普遍的焦慮情緒而倉(cāng)促行事,尤其是在總統(tǒng)大選和特朗普計(jì)劃調(diào)整貿(mào)易政策的背景下:“當(dāng)前存在諸多不確定性,難以預(yù)測(cè)什么能讓人們感到快樂(lè),也難以把握人們?cè)谏铑I(lǐng)域真正追求的是什么。"
她補(bǔ)充說(shuō):“公司可能會(huì)采取大膽舉措,因?yàn)樗鼈儞?dān)心被甩在后面。”董事會(huì)似乎在想:"我們要嘗試一些方法。我們寧愿主動(dòng)出擊,也不愿坐以待斃?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
Pat Gelsinger’s plight at Intel might be a warning for boomerang executives: Even when a company wins you back and appoints you CEO, the honeymoon can end in a flash.
Intel’s board of directors announced Gelsinger’s retirement as chief executive, effective yesterday, today. The company didn’t name a successor and instead appointed two executives as interim co-CEOs to replace Gelsinger, a former Intel lifer who has been CEO for only three years. Intel also said Gelsinger was stepping down from the board. In other words, the company left little room for interpretation that Gelsinger was ousted.
“Today is, of course, bittersweet as this company has been my life for the bulk of my working career,” Gelsinger said in a statement.
In response, Intel share prices shot up by 5% in premarket trading before slipping again. But that bump may have been the board’s goal, says Jo-Ellen Pozner, associate professor of management at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. Companies often choose to make big statements like this because they know Wall Street will respond favorably, she tells Fortune. It’s a signal that the company is serious about a strategic change in direction, particularly when an executive loses their board seat as well.
“When a CEO is replaced, when there hasn’t been a significant scandal or some whiff of wrongdoing, they’ll retain their seat on the board, even if it’s a kind of ceremonial position,” Pozner says. “It’s an acknowledgment that they’ve contributed, that they are an important part of the team, but that a change is needed.”
Removing Gelsinger from the board, she added, “seems like adding insult to injury.”
Attempted turnaround
Gelsinger’s abrupt departure was unexpected given his history at the company. He started his career at Intel in the 1980s and spent decades there before leaving to lead software company VMWare in 2009.
From the beginning of his CEO tenure at Intel, Gelsinger was meant to be a turnaround man. Once a category leader, Intel had fallen behind its competitors in terms of cutting-edge chips. It had previously been late to respond to the rise of smartphones and missed out on a surge of demand for chips made for mobile devices. More recently, it failed to predict the AI boom and watched competitor Nvidia seize on the opportunity, then balloon to a market cap of over $3 trillion.
When Gelsinger took over as CEO, he laid out an ambitious plan that would take several years to execute. Under his guidance, Intel would begin manufacturing chips and selling them to other companies. The plan required billions, including some $20 billion in subsidies from the Biden administration’s CHIPS and Science Act. But, as Fortune reported, Intel had little to show for that level of spending this year. Instead, its share price nose-dived. In August, the company announced it would lay off 15% of its staff and look for $10 billion in spending cuts. The downfall was so severe that Qualcomm reportedly saw Intel as a potential takeover target.
Against this backdrop, Gelsinger lost the board’s confidence. Citing sources close to the situation, Bloomberg reported that directors were frustrated with Gelsinger’s slow progress in chasing Nvidia’s lead. Frank Yeary, an independent chair of the board of Intel, will now serve as interim executive chair.
A year of ousters
It might be cold comfort to Gelsinger, but he joins a long list of CEOs who have abruptly departed their roles this year, including Karen Lynch at CVS, Bob Bakish at Paramount Global, and Laxman Narasimhan at Starbucks.
“It appears that 2024 is a year in which many boards have lost patience with CEOs,” executive consulting firm Korn Ferry noted this fall, pointing to a record rise it detected in CEO firings for the first half of the year. Gelsinger isn’t the only leader to be shown the door without any named successors: The same was true at Peloton, Lattice Semiconductor, and PriceSmart.
Across corporate America, boards may be acting hastily in response to profound anxiety about the markets, Pozner suggests, especially in the wake of the presidential election and Trump’s plans to shake up trade policies: “There’s just a lot of uncertainty about what is going to make people happy, and what people are really looking for in all domains of life.”
“Companies might be taking big swings because they’re worried about getting left behind,” she adds. Boards seem to be thinking, “We’ll try something. We’d rather go down swinging than waiting to get caught off guard.”