AIG: Suicide or Murder?

Reader comment on: Fatal Risk
in response to reader comment: Is not AIG an example of a CEO who overstayed his welcome?

Submitted by OregonJon (United States), Apr 21, 2011 23:15

Lyle has it wrong. Greenberg devoted more than four decades to turning an unfocused, disparate, rather small insurer into a global power. No comparison here to either Fuld or Cayne.

There is ample evidence, of which Roddy Boyd supplies the essential ingredients, that AIG's demise was indeed suicide; the kind of suicide that comes when a CEO who is adept at reaping the rewards that come from sailing closer to the edge is suddenly no longer at the helm.

If it was suicide then it came because the board did not understand that in their choice of Mr. Sullivan they were picking a man who had no experience at sailing anything other than small craft on calm waters and that it would be only natural for repressed egos to be unleashed once the controls vanished.

If it was murder it was because someone on the board knew the above but had motivation to act in a manner that would harm AIG's largest individual shareholder, Mr. Greenberg. If so, it is likely that no mortal wound was intended but that external events gave birth to the black swan.

Suicide seems most likely, but murder cannot be ruled out. In fact, one could even think of a suspect. Enough said.


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Title By Date
Is not AIG an example of a CEO who overstayed his welcome?
[w/response] [114 words]
LyleApr 21, 2011 16:37
⇒ AIG: Suicide or Murder? [208 words]OregonJonApr 21, 2011 23:15

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