Never throw out a CEO when he is in the middle of a solid turnaround. Motorola’s (MOT) CEO, Ed Zander is out. The new CEO, Greg Brown, was COO, and there is not reason to believe that he will be better than his predecessor. He clearly did not step up when the company needed him.
But, the really bad news is that Zander is out. Everyone from Carl Icahn to the King of Siam tried to rid the company of him, but he stuck like old gum on a shoe. The departure, though, is a sign that the quarter must be going very poorly. A loyal board would not have sacked him otherwise. Motorola has gone from having 22% of the global handset market early last year to about 15% today. Rival Nokia (NOK) has driven its share up to almost 40%. Samsung and Sony-Ericsson have also gained ground
It is hard to say much for Zander. In the words of Walter Kerr "He had delusions of adequacy."
Douglas A. McIntyre
Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.