Haig Simonian: How could any self-respecting chief executive say no?

"For those CEOs still reluctant to take the plunge, one of Ms Müller-Zantop’s competitors offers the answer. The website of UK-based Rossiter & Co promises not only mouth-wateringly cheap prices, but adds: “Dull teeth can be whitened, jowls slimmed down, wrinkles smoothed. Generally we can take 10 years off someone’s age.” How could any self-respecting chief executive say no?"

Haig Simonian is the FT's correspondent in Switzerland. We had real fun to watch CEO videos and he came across with this wonderful story in the print edition.

Peter Voser:

"Ich bin tatsächlich nicht der Chef mit grossem Ego. Für mich steht das Unternehmen im Mittelpunkt, nicht die Person. Für mich sind die Mitarbeiter und der langfristige Erfolg von Shell das Wichtigste. Wenn eine Firma von einer Person abhängt, ist das falsch. Ich bin nur ein Rädchen im Getriebe."


Peter Voser, seit 1.7.09 der CEO von Royal Dutch Shell, in einem Interview. Der Unterschied zwischen Shell und BP wird seit seinem Antritt noch grösser als ohnehin schon.

Zhang Ju:

"In China, it is difficult to meet celebrity. Celebrity dont want to meet people who knows nobody. My friends join communist party so to look important, then meet celebrity. America is so great – you can pee with celebrity like jack welsh. In China, no way to pee with celebrity. I want to pee with celebrity too, but I am nobody."

Blog entry by Chinese businessman Zhang Ju in a discussion about celebrity CEOs and how to approach them. The entry is interesting because the cultureal difference is very visible. It also becomes clear how the American attitude spreads into the world.