Former executive to tip a bucket on Holden
December 12, 2012 - 8:56AM
Fairfax media
Peter McKay
Local motor industry mover and shaker John Crennan, the former Holden executive who headed up Holden Special Vehicles for its first two decades, is writing a tell-all memoir that promises to explain the brand's fall from grace in recent years.
His book, 50 Years of Holden – sub-titled People, Personalities, Politics and Poor Performances – is, he says, about 70 per cent finished and will be published next year.
“Like the way I work, I don't sit on the fence!” Crennan declares.
Starting in December 1962 at a weekly stipend of £10 and 15 shillings he embarked on a 10-year journey from the mail room to the executive dining room.
Marking the 50 years since he joined Holden, Crennan has revealed many of the contentious motor industry and motor sporting topics he will cover in his book.
Current Holden executives are not going to enjoy Crennan's assessment of the present management team. He will answer the question why Holden went from having so many heavyweight, highly talented executives in its ranks in Crennan's first 25 years, to so few in the past 25.
“I've listed 50 reasons why Holden dropped from nearly 50 per cent market share when I started 50 years ago to approximately 10 per cent now, and how the Holden brand got damaged along the way,” he says.
Crennan has been researching meticulously, rifling through his detailed diaries and records. He suggests Holden created too much confusion with dealers and customers with an avalanche of more than 150 products and brands. He has counted 53 product badges alone.
Continued here
December 12, 2012 - 8:56AM
Fairfax media
Peter McKay
Local motor industry mover and shaker John Crennan, the former Holden executive who headed up Holden Special Vehicles for its first two decades, is writing a tell-all memoir that promises to explain the brand's fall from grace in recent years.
His book, 50 Years of Holden – sub-titled People, Personalities, Politics and Poor Performances – is, he says, about 70 per cent finished and will be published next year.
“Like the way I work, I don't sit on the fence!” Crennan declares.
Starting in December 1962 at a weekly stipend of £10 and 15 shillings he embarked on a 10-year journey from the mail room to the executive dining room.
Marking the 50 years since he joined Holden, Crennan has revealed many of the contentious motor industry and motor sporting topics he will cover in his book.
Current Holden executives are not going to enjoy Crennan's assessment of the present management team. He will answer the question why Holden went from having so many heavyweight, highly talented executives in its ranks in Crennan's first 25 years, to so few in the past 25.
“I've listed 50 reasons why Holden dropped from nearly 50 per cent market share when I started 50 years ago to approximately 10 per cent now, and how the Holden brand got damaged along the way,” he says.
Crennan has been researching meticulously, rifling through his detailed diaries and records. He suggests Holden created too much confusion with dealers and customers with an avalanche of more than 150 products and brands. He has counted 53 product badges alone.
Continued here