Fred Kindle, ABB
The chief executive of ABB quit the Swiss engineering firm yesterday, citing “irreconcilable differences”. Hubertus von Gruenberg, the chairman of ABB, insisted that the surprise departure was “completely unrelated to company performance”, but had to face awkward questions, including one from a Swiss journalist, who asked: “You come across as a pretty arrogant, egotistical person. Did that drive Fred Kindle away?”
Mr von Gruenburg could only reply: “I will have to work on my style. Let me talk with a media consultant to hopefully improve my style. I am very embarrassed about your remark.”
Armin Meier, Kuoni
The Kuoni boss found himself holding a one-way ticket out of the travel company in December, with the firm citing “divergent opinion on the leadership and execution of the group’s continuing transformation”.
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Analysts suggested that the chief executive had found himself at odds with the board after suggesting that the company should not overhaul its operations as quickly as they believed.
David Richardson, Sports Direct
The Sports Direct chairman got the boot in June after clashing with his board over the firm’s dealings with the City.
The company said: “The chairman believes that he has been unable to establish a strong working relationship with the executive team and, as a result, believes that it would be in the best interests of the company and the board that he steps aside”.
Patrick Snowball, Norwich Union
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The executive chairman of Norwich Union walked away from the firm in April 2007 after a bust-up with Andrew Moss, to whom he lost out for the chief executive role.
The firm insisted that the departure of Mr Snowball, who spent 18 years with Norwich Union, was by “mutual agreement”.
Sir Julian Horn-Smith, Sage
Sir Julian quit his post as non-executive chairman of Sage, the accounting firm, after only eight months in the role, blaming “differences in styles and culture”.
It is thought that he found the boardroom culture at the firm not up to scratch, while those at Sage found him “too old-school”. Either way, he pocketed £250,000.