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August 21st, 2004:

Lifers who climb right to the top

The Times: Lifers who climb right to the top

“A less edifying example of the breed is Sir Philip Watts, chairman of Shell, who was forced to resign after the group admitted to misrepresenting oil and gas reserves.”

By Antonia Senior

August 21, 2004

IN AN era of MBAs and portfolio careers, Sandy Crombie’s rise through the ranks to become chief executive of a firm he joined from school is redolent of another age.

His appointment in January drew fierce criticism, with some analysts calling for fresh blood at a firm tainted by accusations of cronyism.

Standard Life has moved to counter its critics by bringing in new faces to surround its chief executive. The appointment in June of Trevor Matthews, from Manulife, to head up the troubled British life and pensions division, was seen as a sop to prospective shareholders. read more

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