LAST WEEK I noted the strong line taken by the Jamaican Observer newspaper on Digicel’s decision not to appoint a local to head the mobile phone group on the island when it changed the leadership there recently.
This after 12 years of operating successfully in the Caribbean country.
To recap, Briton Andy Thorburn was chosen to succeed Irishman Mark Linehan as chief executive. Linehan assumed other senior executive responsibilities within Digicel’s Caribbean operation.
Last week, I pondered how long it would take for Digicel to react to the column by Mark Wignall.
Well, within 24 hours the Observer had climbed down and offered a fulsome clarification, acknowledging that Digicel “always appoints the best person” to lead the company in Jamaica.
“In a global environment, the best leadership can come from anywhere. What is important is that they be selected for their ability and judged on their results,” the newspaper said.
It then stated that while Wignall’s column posed a question, “conclusions should not be drawn from it”. Thorburn and Linehan were also offered the paper’s best wishes.
