Unrepentant CEOs: 5 times top bosses didn't say sorry when they should have
India is not short on corporate frauds, industrial disputes and accidents but it is very rare when a CEO takes time out to say sorry
- May 25, 2020,
- Updated May 25, 2020 1:36 PM IST
On May 20, Wednesday, the chairman of LG Group, one of the chaebols of South Korea, Koo Gwang-mo apologised over two deadly accidents at LG Chem's factories this month. One of them, the bigger one, was in Vizag in India on May 7 when gas leaked from a tank leading to the death of 12 people and affecting at least a 1,000 others. The second one, was on May 20 itself when a fire broke out at LG Chem's factory in Seosan, 120 kilometers from the capital Seoul, killing a researcher and injuring two others.
That the chairman waited for almost two weeks after the incident happened in India and the apology came only after the accident in Korea, led many to believe he never intended to apologise for the mishap in India in the first place. We shall never know the truth in these conspiracy theories but the chairman's unconditional apology is an exception in a corporate world where the top bosses consider a public apology as a sign of weakness. India is not short on corporate frauds, industrial disputes and accidents but it is very rare when a CEO takes time out to say sorry.
Here are the prime examples when they should have but didn't.
On May 20, Wednesday, the chairman of LG Group, one of the chaebols of South Korea, Koo Gwang-mo apologised over two deadly accidents at LG Chem's factories this month. One of them, the bigger one, was in Vizag in India on May 7 when gas leaked from a tank leading to the death of 12 people and affecting at least a 1,000 others. The second one, was on May 20 itself when a fire broke out at LG Chem's factory in Seosan, 120 kilometers from the capital Seoul, killing a researcher and injuring two others.
That the chairman waited for almost two weeks after the incident happened in India and the apology came only after the accident in Korea, led many to believe he never intended to apologise for the mishap in India in the first place. We shall never know the truth in these conspiracy theories but the chairman's unconditional apology is an exception in a corporate world where the top bosses consider a public apology as a sign of weakness. India is not short on corporate frauds, industrial disputes and accidents but it is very rare when a CEO takes time out to say sorry.
Here are the prime examples when they should have but didn't.