Saatchi & Saatchi global executive chairman Kevin Roberts resigns, effective September 1
Less than a week after making controversial comments in a recent interview with Business Insider, Saatchi & Saatchi global Executive Chairman and Publicis Groupe Head Coach, Kevin Roberts has resigned, effective September 1, prior to his scheduled retirement date due in May 2017.
Says Roberts in a statement: “‘Fail Fast, Fix Fast, Learn Fast’ is a leadership maxim I advocate. When discussing with Business Insider evolving career priorities and new ways of work/life integration, I failed exceptionally fast.
“My miscommunication on a number of points has caused upset and offense, and for this I am sorry.
“I have inadvertently embarrassed Saatchi & Saatchi and Publicis Groupe, two companies I love and have been devoted to for almost 20 years.
“I have expressed my regret and apology to the companies for the furor my remarks and language stimulated, and I extend this to colleagues, staff and clients.
“So that we can all move forward, I am bringing forward my May 1, 2017, retirement from the company, and will leave the Groupe on September 1, 2016.
“There is a lot of learning to reflect on, and within the thousands of tweets, comments and articles there are many powerful and passionate contributions on the changing nature of the workplace, the work we do, what success really looks like, and what companies must do to provide women and men the optimal frameworks in which to flourish.
“I believe that new thinking, frameworks and measures are needed to make more rapid progress on diversity in all its forms, in all professions and occupations. Hopefully, the focus on this serious and complex issue will gather momentum.”
6 Comments
What’s the chance this whole thing will be in the glass lions next year?
He still hasn’t retracted statements. He’s still a muppet.
1. Don’t talk to the media any more than you absolutely must.
2. Don’t say anything that is ‘social media unfriendly’ on contentious issues.
3. Stay out of cindy gallop’s radar
and you’ll be fine.
It’s worth reading the comments in the popular press about Mr.Rpbert’s demise. For the most part, they reflect a much softer position on his comments; and in a majority of cases, found little wrong with them. In fact, one read and you’d be excused for concluding it’s adland that’s out of step, not Mr.Roberts.
Issue over, gender diversity dealt with. Right?
Wrong. They fired a guy whose words (if you read the whole article) may have been misconstrued, they threw someone under the bus without the chance to correct themselves or apologise, educate themselves and in the process educate an industry on what is the right way to do things and the wrong way.
Instead they burned him at the stake, and history has taught us that never solves anything.
Whatever happened to forgiveness and rehabilitating people? Social media witch hunt.
His big mistake was saying THIS DEBATE IS FUCKING OVER
Profanity and feminist jibber jabber are like fire and petrol.
You’d think he’d have learned by watching Frenchy crash and burn.