Gibara Misses Last Opportunity As CEO
Within less than a week our office has obtained eight links giving access to an electronic letter from Sam Gibara to all Goodyear associates. Gibara restated that as from the 1st January, Bob Keegan has taken over as CEO and that he remains as Chairman of the Group. Gibara looked back at the past year which he described as “marked by wins throughout Goodyear’s world” and he speaks of “foundations established for future success” and of “opportunities seized”, none of which would have been possible without the associates’ support. He adds, “You are making a difference and our company will prevail because of you.” With a degree of bitterness some of these associates said that Gibara had ultimately missed the opportunity to explain why the company is in such deep water. They point to the fact that Gibara has never shown any sign of admitting have made mistakes himself. Instead, it was always the economy, the environment, the exchange rate, the high costs of raw materials and so on. However, he has not convinced the associates, many of whom feel that it is a big mistake to play down big problems. The staff is willing to fight, but needs guidance. If indeed the company has the best brands, great distribution and the best people, why then is the company fighting with its back to the wall whilst its big competitors are making money?
