Word: ceos
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...industrial countries, infrastructure is aging. In the developing world, the infrastructure needed to sustain a modern economy often doesn't exist. A study by Booz Allen Hamilton concludes that from now until 2030, the world will spend $41 trillion just to maintain infrastructure at current levels. Kleinfeld, 49, the CEO of Siemens, which makes everything from power plants and water systems to CT scanners and dishwashers, was determined to be the go-to guy to take care of the planet's fix-it list...
...repositioning the company as a focused solutions provider, he split with his predecessor and broke the back of the traditional German business culture that ruled Siemens. Von Pierer, CEO from 1992 to 2005, had begun to transform the company from a sprawling bureaucracy that largely lived off fat contracts from Germany's state- owned firms into a global operator. He rationalized Siemens' many disparate businesses into a group of 13--such as automation, power generation, medical technology and telecommunications. By the end of last year, Siemens employed 475,000 people in 190 countries and generated 81% of its sales outside...
Their differences showed. In recent months, say insiders, Kleinfeld and Von Pierer often clashed over strategy. In corporate Germany, a departing CEO often becomes chairman of the supervisory board. In the case of Siemens, Von Pierer simply moved across the hall to a new office in the executive suite, sharing his old secretary and staff and even the executive washroom with Kleinfeld. Von Pierer began to block Kleinfeld from taking more radical restructuring steps, say these insiders. In the end, Von Pierer had to fall on his sword, but one tantalizing theory is that Von Pierer made sure he took...
...Poland. Kleinfeld walked into a meeting with about 200 of the division's staff, shook a few hands and launched into a pep talk in German. As he started to hit his stride, many of the division's top executives looked on dumbfounded. Then Rene Umlauft, the division CEO, intervened, waving his hand at Kleinfeld and forcing him to stop midsentence. "Excuse me, Mr. Kleinfeld," said Umlauft. "But you can't speak German here. They don't understand. You have to speak English." Startled, Kleinfeld quickly grasped the humor of the situation...
...rules requiring divisions to report to the CCO have been strengthened. Siemens businesses may no longer use a bank outside a vendor's home country to pay the supplier. At Kleinfeld's request, Hershman dispatched four teams to scrutinize Siemens operations in what the CEO calls high-risk countries...