Holden boss resigns - another one

[Silver Ghia]

Whats happening at Holden that we don't know?

Holden boss Gerry Dorizas resigns suddenly after just six months
JOSHUA DOWLING NATIONAL MOTORING EDITOR NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA NETWORK OCTOBER 28, 2014

HOLDEN is reeling after the shock departure of its fifth boss in six years.

Gerry Dorizas has left the troubled car company unexpectedly, just six months after taking on the role.

Greek-born Mr Dorizas was the first person in decades to be hired from outside General Motors to run Holden.

While his sudden resignation has thrown the struggling car giant’s plans for sales growth into doubt, it is not expected to impact Holden’s manufacturing shutdown and redundancy payments to workers.

Prior to his Holden appointment in March 2014, Mr Dorizas had worked for Volkswagen in India since 2007, and Mercedes-Benz, Fiat and Hyundai prior to that appointment.

A statement from Holden said: “Mr Gerry Dorizas has resigned from the position of Chairman and Managing Director of GM Holden to pursue other opportunities, effective immediately.”

President of General Motors’ international operations, Stefan Jacoby, said Mr Dorizas had taken the Holden role at a difficult period and had implemented a number of measures to transform the business from a vehicle manufacturer to an importer.

“General Motors is 100 per cent committed to the Holden brand and its long term success in Australia,” Mr Jacoby said in a media statement.

Holden Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Rolfs, will serve as interim managing director during the search for a permanent replacement.

Mr Rolfs, from Canada, has been with General Motors for 22 years but only arrived at Holden six months ago.

Mr Dorizas made headlines when, in his first interview with Australian media, he boldly claim Holden would overtake Toyota as the top-selling brand by 2020.

It was regarded as a big call because Holden had just posted its lowest sales in 19 years and hadn’t been number one for 11 years.

It is likely the new boss of Holden will come from within the General Motors world.

The eight Holden bosses before Mr Dorizas came from General Motors’ operations in North America, Britain and Germany.

The last Australian to run Holden (from 1987 to 1990) was the late John Bagshaw, the son of a Holden dealership sales manager.

News Corp Australia understands General Motors interviewed several Australian-based automotive executives last year — several months before the former boss Mike Devereux announced his departure — but none were deemed suitable.

[Nikked]

Football, meatpies and revolving door management.

[nstg8a]

Lease ran out on his c63 and he realised he had to actually drive a Holden supplied car.

[DJM83]

Shouldnt a captain always stay aboard a sinking ship?

[baboon]

Perhaps this was Whincups fault (Bathurst).

[JC]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Shouldnt a captain always stay aboard a sinking ship?

Perhaps Holden is the Oz auto version of the Costa Concordia.....

[Bossxr8]

He should have been fired the minute he said he thinks Holden will be no 1 by 2020. Quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said by an automotive industry exec.

[aussiblue]

I feel sorry for the Oz mangers of Ford. Holden and Toyota. I know what is like to run an organisation that is scheduled for wind down; suddenly all your colleagues elsewhere ignore what you have to say and what you want to achieve as their view is in a few years that division will be gone won't it so you are irrelevant. Takes good management further up to make sure this doesn't happen and that there is a motivating reward awaiting you at the end. It's also very difficult to keep your staff positive and motivated. And your dealers and suppliers will not be exactly loving you.

[P6LTD351]

Big deal. He obviously snapped up a better opportunity elsewhere. Anyone worth their salt would do the same.

[buggerlugs]

And another one gone, another one gone, another one bites the dust...........

[Franco Cozzo]

If they keep leaving the problems run deeper, look to the people the CEO answers to.

The mystical "board", I've never laid eyes on such mystical beast myself but I've heard plenty of horror stories from management that "THE BOARD IS NOT HAPPY!".

That "the board" is why we couldn't have nice things.

If the man at the top keeps heading for the hills, something must be up.

[mik]

Originally Posted by P6LTD351

Big deal. He obviously snapped up a better opportunity elsewhere. Anyone worth their salt would do the same.

yep, the bloke can see the writing on the wall, can't blame him for for looking after himself.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by mik

yep, the bloke can see the writing on the wall, can't blame him for for looking after himself.

He must have realised that Holes Oil Leaks Dents Excessive Noise, and Hope Our Luck Doesn't End Now just doesn't cut it anymore in the 21st century

[1TUFFUTE]

Who on earth would look at that situation and say....I gotta get that on my cv! Wow, I mean he was only there 6 months right? Why on earth would you take on such a big role....then bail so quickly. But not just one guy.....heaps of them.

Be interesting to see what they're all running from when it comes out eventually!
But I'm sure it's nothing tho.

[vztrt]

Obviously Bill Osborne saw the writing on the wall back in 08 when he left Ford after 6 months.

[MAD]

Seems to me like the local bloke has very little say in what goes on anyway.

A company with this many management changes in such short spaces of time can not simply be 'riding' the success of the predecessor.

[GTP-814]

unsustainable losses & no big bonus for him

[LoudPipes]

If you read the article you’ll see the statement made is corporate speak for ‘he was sacked’.

[Bossxr8]

Everything I have read so far say's he resigned to take up another job somewhere else.

[flooded one]

does anyone really think that Holden will over take Toyota in 2020 the way Holden is going at the moment?? I know what I am about to say here is going to **** the Holden fans off but once Holden has stopped manufacturing, 2020 will more then likely be the year the Holden name disappears

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by LoudPipes

If you read the article you’ll see the statement made is corporate speak for ‘he was sacked’.

If they said he was getting moved to China and the guy from over there was coming here then I would agree with you.

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Everything I have read so far say's he resigned to take up another job somewhere else.

I’ve read “to pursue other opportunities, effective immediately”.
This terminology is often understood as ‘sacked’.

Any way I won’t get too concerned either way, he’s probably got a healthy bank balance and good qualifications to fall back on.

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by LoudPipes

I’ve read “to pursue other opportunities, effective immediately”.
This terminology is often understood as ‘sacked’.

Any way I won’t get too concerned either way, he’s probably got a healthy bank balance and good qualifications to fall back on.

Also can mean that when he told senior management that he was leaving to work elsewhere, that they paid him out and walked him immediately. Very normal these days.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Grunter

Also can mean that when he told senior management that he was leaving to work elsewhere, that they paid him out and walked him immediately. Very normal these days.

Happened to me, resigned with two weeks notice then was told id get paid out 2 weeks just finish up tomorrow.

Good deal lol

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Grunter

Also can mean that when he told senior management that he was leaving to work elsewhere, that they paid him out and walked him immediately. Very normal these days.

Yep, and he is only human, not hard to realise that some people are always on the look out for other opportunities. For all we know, he might have just used Holden as a stop-gap until something else came up.

But it gives journalists the chance to stick the knives in further and remind everyone about the impending closures...

[XBGTFGGTP]

It's only a matter of time before the Holden name is dead. Anyway if you were a Holden person would you really want to be driving who knows what with a badge stuck on it? At least we can say a Ford is a Ford.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by XBGTFGGTP

It's only a matter of time before the Holden name is dead. Anyway if you were a Holden person would you really want to be driving who knows what with a badge stuck on it? At least we can say a Ford is a Ford.

They do that anyway...


Some even stick chevy badges on there "holdens"...

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by XBGTFGGTP

It's only a matter of time before the Holden name is dead. Anyway if you were a Holden person would you really want to be driving who knows what with a badge stuck on it? At least we can say a Ford is a Ford.

GM is still GM

Like a crappy thai or chinese built ford is still a ford.

[hootar]

Originally Posted by Nikked

They do that anyway...


Some even stick chevy badges on there "holdens"...

And some holden fans even use a FORD badge for their Avatar.

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by Grunter

Also can mean that when he told senior management that he was leaving to work elsewhere, that they paid him out and walked him immediately. Very normal these days.

Certainly it can mean that as well.
I’ve worked in companies where when you resign you can’t go back to your office.
Your passwords are deleted on the spot, your office door is locked and your personal effects are gathered by HR and forwarded to your home address.
Still in most cases it’s the polite way of telling other staff and the media of a sacking.
And given the type of industry it is, he isn't likely to be taking company clients with him and health reason have not be used, therefore immediate departure on resignation is a little unusual.
Anyway Í don't know, it was just a comment I made based on my experience.