Archive for the &;Evelyn Y. Davis&; Category
A MinorMilestone
May 9, 2007
We&;re just two months old, and MondayMorningMediaQuarterback went over 1000 pageviews today. Which posts were most popular?
Of course, Paris Hilton was hot, but just behind her was 70+ (she hates talking about her age) Evelyn Y. Davis, continuing her quixotic crusade for better corporate governance.
Posted in 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, Evelyn Y. Davis, evelyn-davis, MondayMorningMediaQuarterback, Paris-Hilton | Leave a Comment &;
Evelyn Y. Davis and Proxy SeasonFollies
April 26, 2007
If it&;s spring, the proxy-season circus is in town. At this time of year, public relations and IR (Investor Relations) pros prepare for their corporation&;s annual shareholder meetings. Shockingly enough, these meetings are often stage-managed to cheerlead for the CEO and avoid controversy.
But even when IR folks try to keep things under control, often the meetings turn into bizarre theatre. At a Ford shareholder meeting in Irvine, California, I watched noted shareholder &;gadfly&; Evelyn Y. Davis fawn over then-CEO Bill Ford with an unsettling mix of maternal concern and lust. Later, he personally delivered her new Jaguar.
Whether it&;s Citibank or among the restive shareholders of the New York Times, Evelyn is on the case. I&;ve written about her, and she always has a lot to say: When Safeway&;s general counsel implored &;Miss Davis&; to be quiet, &;It&;s Mrs. Davis,&; she insisted. I&;ve had three husbands.&; At Morgan Stanley, Davis threatened, &;When I&;m gone, my ghost will appear at the meeting.&; Replied Chairman Philip Purcell, &;We look forward to your ghost.&;
Purcell and Ford show the right way for CEOs to respond to gadflys like Evelyn; listen patiently, act when their suggestions are appropriate and reasonable, keep your sense of humor.
It&;s easy to snicker at the gadflies. But often dissident stockholders have a point. Unchallenged, bad corporate leadership can damage even the strongest company&;like this software architect whose biggest innovation appears to be creating the 35-day month and 100-day quarter for booking revenue and making numbers.
Posted in Evelyn Y. Davis, evelyn-davis, Ford, Investor Relations, Journalism, morgan-stanley, Public Relations, Shareholder Revolt | 3 Comments &;