Can the 'recession virgins' handle what is coming to them?
By Tony Bonsignore | 12:09:41 | 10 March 2008
The word ‘recession’ is being bandied about willy-nilly right now. But according to a fascinating report in today’s Times, many of today’s senior managers don't know what they're talking about, being ‘recession virgins’ who are totally ill-equipped to deal with a serious economic downturn.
The report points to high flyers such as Peter Redfern, the 37 year old boss of Taylor Wimpey, and Simon Wolfson, the 40 year old head of Next, who were barely out of university when the last recession hit in the early 90s. They are part of a whole generation of business leaders that have known nothing but the good times in their working careers.
Meanwhile, a lunchtime or evening visit to any bar in the City of London reveals a whole generation of Square Mile employees barely out of nappies the last time we experienced a serious downturn. To them recession probably means opting for two bottles of vintage wine over lunch, rather than three.
So, the Money Blog asks, are these recession virgins the right people to steer us through the tougher economic times ahead? Do they even know what a recession means? Or is it time for business to turn to the older generation?
By Tony Bonsignore | 12:09:41 | 10 March 2008
The word ‘recession’ is being bandied about willy-nilly right now. But according to a fascinating report in today’s Times, many of today’s senior managers don't know what they're talking about, being ‘recession virgins’ who are totally ill-equipped to deal with a serious economic downturn.
The report points to high flyers such as Peter Redfern, the 37 year old boss of Taylor Wimpey, and Simon Wolfson, the 40 year old head of Next, who were barely out of university when the last recession hit in the early 90s. They are part of a whole generation of business leaders that have known nothing but the good times in their working careers.
Meanwhile, a lunchtime or evening visit to any bar in the City of London reveals a whole generation of Square Mile employees barely out of nappies the last time we experienced a serious downturn. To them recession probably means opting for two bottles of vintage wine over lunch, rather than three.
So, the Money Blog asks, are these recession virgins the right people to steer us through the tougher economic times ahead? Do they even know what a recession means? Or is it time for business to turn to the older generation?
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