When The Process Was Over Mr
When the process was over, Mr. Marchionne had 23 people reporting to him. Some were junior executives who had been moved up a level or two in the organization….
Many in the industry believe Mr. Machionne has no option but to shock Chrysler out of its old ways. “The culture in Detroit is so insular, and he’s going to have to throw some china against the wall,” said Michael J. Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation Inc., a large dealership chain….
Mr. Marchionne took an office on the fourth floor of the technology center at Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., among Chrysler’s engineers, instead of an office in its adjoining executive tower. His management team began meeting weekly in a nearby conference room equipped with video gear so that Fiat executives in Italy could take part.
In these meetings, Mr. Marchionne often spelled out what he saw as Chrysler’s many deficiencies: margins and vehicle quality needed to improve and better control over pricing was imperative, according to one person who has been in the sessions. Details of the discussions weren’t to leave the room. Security officers even called senior executives over the summer to make sure no one was talking to reporters about the company’s plans.
Mr. Marchionne, a notorious workaholic, carries five BlackBerrys and works seven days a week. He spends about one full week a month in Michigan and flies back for weekend meetings when he isn’t in town.
Many in the industry believe Mr. Machionne has no option but to shock Chrysler out of its old ways. “The culture in Detroit is so insular, and he’s going to have to throw some china against the wall,” said Michael J. Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation Inc., a large dealership chain….
Mr. Marchionne took an office on the fourth floor of the technology center at Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., among Chrysler’s engineers, instead of an office in its adjoining executive tower. His management team began meeting weekly in a nearby conference room equipped with video gear so that Fiat executives in Italy could take part.
In these meetings, Mr. Marchionne often spelled out what he saw as Chrysler’s many deficiencies: margins and vehicle quality needed to improve and better control over pricing was imperative, according to one person who has been in the sessions. Details of the discussions weren’t to leave the room. Security officers even called senior executives over the summer to make sure no one was talking to reporters about the company’s plans.
Mr. Marchionne, a notorious workaholic, carries five BlackBerrys and works seven days a week. He spends about one full week a month in Michigan and flies back for weekend meetings when he isn’t in town.