From Greg Smith to Ashish Hemrajani, people who quit their jobs in style
Quitting doesn’t need to be difficult or elaborate and these people have proved the same.
By ET Bureau |
Agencies
By Shannon Tellis
More than a few jaws dropped when the French environment minister Nicolas Hulot decided to resign during a live radio interview. Here are a few other memorable exits.
In 2014, Russia Today viewers were taken aback when anchor Liz Wahl announced her resignation mid-broadcast
In 2014, Russia Today viewers were taken aback when anchor Liz Wahl announced her resignation mid-broadcast because she could no longer ‘be part of a network that whitewashes the actions of Putin’. During her on-air resignation, Wahl elaborated on the ‘ethical and moral challenges’ she faced as a reporter for a news network operating out of Russia. “My grandparents came here as refugees during the Hungarian Revolution ironically to escape the Soviet forces and that is why personally, I cannot be part of a network funded by the Russian government,” she said.
Greg Smith Tired of the “toxic and destructive” culture at Goldman Sachs, executive director Greg Smith penned a scathing op-ed for The New York Times in which he not only ended his 12-year career with the firm but called them out for placing profits above customers. “The firm has veered so far that I can no longer in good conscience say that I identify with what it stands for. I knew it was time to leave when I realized I could no longer look students in the eye and tell them what a great place this was to work,” Smith wrote. The same day, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and COO Gary Cohn issued an internal memo refuting the claims. Gwen Dean Dean announced that she was leaving an 18-year career in machine engineering to pursue her lifelong dream of working with puppets
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Quitting doesn’t need to be difficult or elaborate. Sometimes all you need are six words and a furry blue friend as aspiring puppeteer Gwen Dean proved during the 2014 Super Bowl. Pairing up with GoDaddy for a 30-second commercial that aired in front of 111.5 million people (including Dean’s boss), Dean announced that she was leaving an 18-year career in machine engineering to pursue her lifelong dream of working with puppets. Those six magical words that set her free: ‘Hi Ted, I quit. Ciao baby. Jonathan Schwartz Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz was not only the first Fortune 200 CEO to quit on Twitter but he did it in the most unique way possible When he resigned in 2010, former Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz was not only the first Fortune 200 CEO to quit on Twitter but he did it in the most unique way possible — in haiku. To everyone’s amusement on Twitter, the former CEO tweeted, “Today’s my last day at Sun. I’ll miss it. Seems only fitting to end on a #haiku. Financial crisis / Stalled too many customers / CEO no more."
Ashish Hemrajani Ashish Hemrajani When you’re faced with the urge to quit, sometimes it’s more prudent to just jump in. During a tech event in 2016, BookMyShow cofounder Ashish Hemrajani recounted how he mistakenly texted his boss his resignation while on a backpacking trip through South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana in 1999. “I was on my youth hostel bed and I sent the most expensive message worth `186 to my boss, and said I was quitting,” he recalled. According to Hemrajani, he had spent the better part of the day at a wine tasting and it didn’t quite register what he had done until the next day.
The Gift Of Time: What Hotshot Bosses Would Choose To Do With An Extra Hour, Each Day
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Time is the one precious commodity that these business names can never have enough of. But what if they could add 60 more minutes to their day? Here’s what they would do. (Text: Gynda Alves)
Time is the one precious commodity that these business names can never have enough of. But what if they could add 60 more minutes to their day? Here’s what they would do. (Text: Gynda Alves)
Sector head, Spencer’s Retail
“I would take out some more time for my passions. I would like to pursue photography.”
Sector head, Spencer’s Retail
“I would take out some more time for my passions. I would like to pursue photography.”
Chairman, Lowe Lintas
“I would spend the extra hour in my day playing badminton. I already play once a week but would love to be able to do it daily.”
Chairman, Lowe Lintas
“I would spend the extra hour in my day playing badminton. I already play once a week but would love to be able to do it daily.”
Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
“I would spend it reading. I will read anything — even the back of a ketchup bottle. I enjoy literature and do an annual read of Jane Austen novels. My favourite is Emma.”
Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
“I would spend it reading. I will read anything — even the back of a ketchup bottle. I enjoy literature and do an annual read of Jane Austen novels. My favourite i..
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Head, sales and marketing, Hindalco Industries Ltd
“I would spend the extra hour shopping. I would spend it on sites such as Amazon and Flipkart.”
Head, sales and marketing, Hindalco Industries Ltd
“I would spend the extra hour shopping. I would spend it on sites such as Amazon and Flipkart.”
MD, Lodha Group
“I would spend the extra hour with my kids. We have something called dad time and it involves whatever suits their fancy. It could be anything from reading a book to playing a game or figuring out what they want to do during summer.”
MD, Lodha Group
“I would spend the extra hour with my kids. We have something called dad time and it involves whatever suits their fancy. It could be anything from reading a book to playing a game o..
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MD, Puma India
“I would use the extra hour in my day to play sports. Badminton, tennis, football, cricket — I love it all. In fact, I would say I need to stay fit to play sports — not the other way around.”
MD, Puma India
“I would use the extra hour in my day to play sports. Badminton, tennis, football, cricket — I love it all. In fact, I would say I need to stay fit to play sports — not the other way..
