Citizen CEOs: how not to blog as the boss…


As if to prove that not everyone in the boardroom is cut out for blogging, feisty, hip-shooting Martin Sorrell (“if you’re going to break something, a Davos hospital is as good as any”) is joined from Davos by fellow Telegraph blogger – and BT boss – Ben Verwaayen. Verwaayen has posted his first piece here. It reads, alas, like the press office penned it. (That’s probably unfair to them.)

For me, I arrive wrapped up warm, full of optimism, and struck powerfully by the diversity of attitude amongst my fellow delegates.

Yup, about as exciting as a cold cup of hot chocolate.

To judge by the first reaction, Telegraph blog readers did not warm to the Dutch CEO’s polite banalities. Before it was “moderated”, Rob U wrote:

Blogs by effing complacent sons of … enemas … should be treated with contempt. You don’t deserve any discussion you expense account lizard.

Verwaayen probably isn’t running BT because he’s a bloodless bore, but readers might jump to that unflattering conclusion. On the other hand, you get the feeling that Sir Martin could give Rob a run for his money.