What sort of candidate will land the top flak job at HSBC? Our missive yesterday brought several, conflicting, responses.
Some argue: 1) It looks like being an insider, because the bank is inward looking. 2) It will probably be an outsider, because the bank realises it needs to change.
The “outsider” camp argue that the successful candidate, aside from some sharp elbows, will need to have: Experience in Asia; Time in the top job at a FTSE company; Patience. They are also likely to be someone known to the board, goes this theory.
One flak says: “The approach has been somewhere between defensive/non-responsive so it’ll take someone with patience to guide them gently into being a more open and proactive PR outfit…nothing happens overnight there.”
Another observer offers: “I hope they go for a change of approach. I think it would serve them well and it almost feels like a responsibility; if you are big enough that your collapse could affect the global economy then it’s only right that you engage and put yourself up to public scrutiny.”
Some runners and riders and some odds that we have entirely made-up. We make the insiders all the same 6/1 shot, just so they don’t get too cross.
An insider is the way to bet. An insider tells me.
Insiders
6/1 Patrick Humphris – Head of Comms Asia-Pacific
6/1 Lucy Yurek – Head of Retail Bank Comms
6/1 Morgan Bone – Global Head of External Comms
Outsiders
8/1 Fiona Laffan — formerly of Goldman Sachs and Lloyds
10/1 Andrew Walton — Lloyds (recent arrival)
12/1 Jon Tracey — Standard Chartered
15/1 Hugh Fraser — Morgan Stanley
18/1 John McIvor — Bank of America
20/1 Chris Turner — RBS
