Saturday, May 20, 2006

ma main man does it again!

yup you guessed it! This is going to be another one of those pieces where I unabashedly worship Mr. Ghosn. Plus a bit more...

The man now adorns the front page of FORBES Magazine (US edition, at least) May 22, 2006.

Accompanying Title: Car Czar

Here are some notable quotes from the article preceded by some commentary:

You've all heard of B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Ano Domini) Have you heard of A.C.?
"But Nissan A.C. - after Carlos - is anything but fragile."
Did you know Carlos has gone where no man has gone before?
"No other auto executive has ever attempted such a double backflip, and this two-timing stunt was Ghosn's idea. (He is CEO of both Nissan and Renault)
The S.O.B. is a freaken' demigod!
Ghosn, 52, is an industry superhero for yanking Nissan from the precipice of bankruptcy and turning it around in just two years. In Japan a 160 - page comic book celebrates his success. "When I'm walking with him, I feel like I'm walking with a demigod, especially in Japan," says Jean-Baptiste Duzan, Renault's corporate controller. "People will touch his clothing as if to cure an illness."
He was educated in Lebanon too!
Born in Brazil to Lebanese parents - his father, Jorge, worked in the airline industry and was constantly on the road, just as Carlos is now - Ghosn moved with his mother and siblings to Lebanon when he was 6 and excelled at a Jesuit school there. (anybody know where?)
Aaaah, nobody is perfect...
When one student at Oxford University asks why Nissan lags behind Toyota in new hybrid vehicles, Ghosn shoots back: "When you have technology that costs $6,000 but the customer is willing to pay $2,000, you have a problem. ... We are not ready to mass-market a technology where you are losing your shirt on every car."
Well... what can I say? You have the idiots who constitute our political elite in Lebanon, and then you have guys like Carlos and others like him who make tangible contributions to humanity. Doctors, scientists, researchers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, etc..., etc....

All I ask from our political elite... and I mean ALL I ASK OF THEM... is to foster the political, social and economic environment in our tiny country so that Lebanese with the skills and ambitions of Ghosn can prosper there!

There are probably thousands of Ghosns out there, but the selfish bastard's already got 2 out of 10 CEO positions in the auto-industry. We need to be given a chance, damn it!

7 comments:

Chief said...

Jesuit school there. (anybody know where?)

It's Jamhour.

JoseyWales said...

Yeah Jamhour.

Also think there was some crime or scandal in his family that led to Carlos going back to Brazil in his mid or late teens.

Is that in his book or Forbes?

the perpetual refugee said...

There are thousands of Ghosns out there. Yes.

Imagine harnessing that power.

Fouad said...

Maybe he'll run for presidency :)

Anonymous said...

Speaking of talented Lebanese, here is one who has managed to rise despite of the system and despite his criticism of the system.

Very interesting article in today's New York Times Magazine.

Do not get me wrong though, I love what Solidere has done to downtown Beirut.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/magazine/21khoury.html

Kelly K

Anonymous said...

one of his uncle , owner of a bank at that time in leb paid him his tuitions ...

his uncle used to be a friend of my dad ...

a very nice guy indeed.

true there were some scandals at a time but i dont know if it is due to his dad or another of his uncles ..

Jamal said...

This Ghosn doesn't mind being handed the keys to the country :o)