Word: nasser
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Their offices adjoin each other on the top floor of the company's green glass World Headquarters building, but one look at them gives away the stark differences between Ford and Nasser. Ford's is warm and wood paneled, plastered with pictures of his family and himself. Practically everything--except his grandfather Edsel's desk--is recyclable, and tropical fish swim in a tank on one wall...
...Nasser's quarters are spartan, cool and movie-set corporate, his desk a black African-wengewood-and-brushed-chrome counter on a raised dais in front of a bank of computers and flat-screen televisions (all on, 24/7). He keeps his Blackberry communicator and a Nokia 8100 Worldphone at his fingertips, a slim purple Sony Vaio laptop at arm's reach...
...about deliberation, the other about speed. Nasser had to work hard and suffer the indignities of an immigrant growing up in Australia. A 30-year lifer who has run just about every Ford fief on the planet, he is a relentless taskmaster with a passion for machines, Savile Row suits and exquisite watches (he has 120 at last count). He lives the code of today's global corporate warrior, perpetually moving through time zones and making deals...
...when he took the CEO job, and within 18 months he acquired Volvo, Land Rover--and a divorce. Then he launched a complete corporate reorganization, in an everlasting quest to keep up Ford's rep as Detroit's best-run car company. "A lot of things came together," says Nasser. "We were a new generation in a new century and an incredible technological and communications revolution in which the consumers had the power. So it was time to make them the driving force...
...late as September, Ford asked the board to allow him to be more visible on the Firestone issue, but it was decided that Nasser should take the heat. And he did. Nasser appeared on television ads, did interviews and charged down to Washington to beat back Congress. Everywhere he went, he blamed Firestone. Ford would stay in the background, in part to preserve his image. In the event that there was real evidence of wrongdoing on Ford Motor's part, then the credible Ford could step up and fess up. He is still being held in reserve on this issue...