Monday, March 23, 2009

First Black Chief Executive of a FTSE 100 Company



Tidjane Thiam makes history as first black chief executive of a FTSE 100 company

Tidjane Thiam, the new boss of the Prudential, created history yesterday by becoming the first black chief executive of a FTSE 100 company.

Mr Thiam, a French citizen who was born in the Ivory Coast, is finance director of Britain’s second-biggest insurer and will succeed Mark Tucker in October.

However, the timing of Mr Tucker’s departure astonished the City, raising speculation – denied by the company – that the Pru had been forced to accelerate its succession plans to prevent Mr Thiam being poached by a rival.

There was also speculation that Mr Tucker had gone amid unhappiness at the Pru’s recent decision not to bid for the Asian assets of AIG, the stricken American insurance group.

Full story on TimesOnline

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