Monash University experts are available to comment following the resignation of the Optus CEO.
Dr Nathan Eva, Associate Professor in Leadership,
Monash Business School
[email protected] +61 3 9903 4840
The following comments can be attributed to Dr Eva:
"Resigning was the right thing to do and probably good timing. I assume that she has been able to get the internals right over the past week, deal with the Senate hearing, deal with the parent company SingTel, set up an interim, make sure her team is ok, and then step away.
"It appears as a fairly self-less thing to do, and she has put her team first. And from what I’ve read about what she has done over the past year, it does seem like Optus comes first, the public comes second.”
Dr. Mariano (Pitòsh) Heyden, Professor of Strategy & International Business,
Department of Management , Monash Business School
[email protected] +61 3 9903 4840
The following can be attributed to Dr Heyden:
"The old adage rings true for the resignation of Bayer Rosmarin: heads must roll.
"The symbolic scapegoating of a company's figurehead is the reaction to pressures from the general public and policy makers. It helps deflect blame and gives the story a human point of reference by providing a ‘villain’ scapegoat to carve out a culprit from the overall brand.
"While resignations are common, it is largely a short-term reaction to stop the bleeding without directly addressing root causes.
"CEO turnover is an opportunity for the organisation's board to take accountability for misfortunes and create a context for thinking about authentic change.
"Repairing public trust in Optus cannot solely be achieved by simply changing the CEO, rather, it also needs to be a by-product of authentic change in the way they conduct business.”
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