The H-C report identified the issue of Swire directors isolating themselves on the 9th floor remote from the departments they are supposedly responsible for. The recommendation was for each director to be relocated to their respective department. ie, DFO move his office to the 3rd floor. Such a move would enhance communication, in both directions.
The company’s response? Cannot.
Why? The isolation of its directors has been such a historical roaring success.
10 years later and it still makes me laugh.
I don’t think it’s purely arrogance that prevents our most senior managers from introducing a safety recommendation about where an office should be located. It’s also fear.
Fear of what outside voices may have to say.
Fear of what outside management may actually do.
Fear of collapse. Not of the company, but of their carefully orchestrated management structure and career opportunities.
Fear of successful change resulting in history shining a less than complimentary light on the past 2 decades of leadership.
But the company directors in their infinite wisdom have decided to once again rubber stamp the management contract with JSSHK. I suspect a few directors/shareholders weren’t in complete agreement with that decision. Lots of noise coming from outside the company that the next director will come from a non-Swire background.