Forum Archive Index - April 2002

["tennyson@caverock.net.nz" <tennyson@caverock.net.nz>]

Ben Dutton wrote
"Snoopy - I noted with interest your comment "the sacking of 
Gattung". You must not be impressed with her management of the 
company.  Why?"

Au contraire Ben.  Actually I think Theresa Gattung is a fine manager 
and an outstandingly focussed and able person:- but caught up in the 
wrong industry at the wrong time.   The reason for my comment is 
this.

If we agree that there is not much sun on the horizon for AAPT, then 
someone is going to have to take the 'blame' for that.   It doesn't 
matter if it isn't 'their fault'.  The institutions will be baying 
for blood if nothing has happened in a couple of years.  

Like it or not Rod Deane was associated with cost cutting and when 
Theresa Gattung took over to give the company a new direction that 
direction was into Australia.  It is the drive into Australia, and 
AAPT in particular, that is now irrevocably linked with Gattung 
whether she likes it or not.  I've no doubt it seemed a good idea at 
the time as Telcos all over the world were buying into other markets 
trying to increase their global presence.  Nevertheless doing 
something 'just because somebody else is doing it' is a business 
strategy that, in the end, will see you come unstuck 'when the music 
stops'.  Worldwide, once greater Telcos have come crashing to earth 
with a thud far louder than anything than Telecom will suffer in the 
future.  But there has been executive fallout when big deals went 
wrong, and there will be again!

With the new domestically focussed Telecom (in a couple of years), 
the new broom will have to sweep out the old baggage and I am afraid 
that Theresa Gattung herself will end up in the dust pan.  The guilty 
will get away unpunished (that is the institutions and the board for 
letting the AAPT deal go ahead in the first place).   The scapegoat 
will be dealt with (that is Theresa Gattung and team).  Then, through 
the greyness, a completely uninvolved bystander will be promoted 
as the new person in the top job.  That's how business works at the 
top level.   But you knew that already Ben - right? ;-)

SNOOPY





  

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Message posted by Harry Tennyson
 using Pegasus Mail 2.55
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