So Mark McInnes has got himself a new gig. He’s recently been appointed CEO of Premier Investments, owner of the Just Group and brands such as Just Jeans, Peter Alexander, Portmans and Smiggle. Not everyone’s happy about it, which you may imagine, as the dust has hardly had time to settle after that sexual harassment case at David Jones forced McInnes’s departure from the giant retailer.
Do you think he’s had enough time in the sinbin? Not to suggest that he should never be able to work again, just that it gives an interesting message that it’s ok to behave in a certain fashion, with not much consequence – a few months later another multimillion package will be yours. You’d think the directors would give due process contemplating the impact of hiring someone with a less than squeaky clean reputation with women, into a company whose clientele, again, comprises mainly women. Perhaps they did, but decided it was worth the risk.
At the minimum, why would they not have held back for an appropriate period, if only as a gesture of respect to the thousands of female staff and customers of the Premier group? Workforces held in captive to predatory bosses, where performance is not judged on merit alone, are not the healthy or well functioning environments that directors should be striving for.
You have to wonder if the decision to hire McInnes would have been any different if the Premier board were not exclusively male? The absence of women from the board of a company such as Premier is an embarrassment.
Running a successful company, particularly those with a high public profile, should not only be about the shareholders and the bottom line. A company has responsibilities to stakeholders more far reaching than its shareholders and the endless quest for share performance that seems to motivate the actions of many of today’s boards. Showing leadership in matters of principle, whether it be gender equality or the environment, is crucial in creating sustainable and enlightened companies of the future, a future that we will be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren.
Do you think he’s had enough time in the sinbin? Not to suggest that he should never be able to work again, just that it gives an interesting message that it’s ok to behave in a certain fashion, with not much consequence – a few months later another multimillion package will be yours. You’d think the directors would give due process contemplating the impact of hiring someone with a less than squeaky clean reputation with women, into a company whose clientele, again, comprises mainly women. Perhaps they did, but decided it was worth the risk.
At the minimum, why would they not have held back for an appropriate period, if only as a gesture of respect to the thousands of female staff and customers of the Premier group? Workforces held in captive to predatory bosses, where performance is not judged on merit alone, are not the healthy or well functioning environments that directors should be striving for.
You have to wonder if the decision to hire McInnes would have been any different if the Premier board were not exclusively male? The absence of women from the board of a company such as Premier is an embarrassment.
Running a successful company, particularly those with a high public profile, should not only be about the shareholders and the bottom line. A company has responsibilities to stakeholders more far reaching than its shareholders and the endless quest for share performance that seems to motivate the actions of many of today’s boards. Showing leadership in matters of principle, whether it be gender equality or the environment, is crucial in creating sustainable and enlightened companies of the future, a future that we will be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren.
It takes courage to engender change, to step out of our comfort zone. To cry out that the Emperor is in fact naked. But who do you think is man enough to take that risk? What a shame.
Such a shame, The emperor may have changed his clothes but you can bet the leopard hasn't changed his spots! Great article Nix, I can't believe there hasn't been more said about this.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible many customers will amply express their views on this with where they choose to spend their dollars.
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