Should AIG's New CEO Shut His Mouth?
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AIG's (NYSE: AIG) CEO Robert Benmosche is receiving criticism for comments he has made at employee meetings and remarks directed towards New York's Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
Benmosche said that Andrew Cuomo "doesn't deserve to be in government" and that he'd leave dealing with "all those crazies down in Washington" to the company's chairman, according to an account by Bloomberg News that was confirmed by Benmosche.
Some at AIG are unfazed at Benmosche's brashness and say he just articulated that executives at AIG should run the company not regulators. However, the WSJ reported that some board members plan to discuss how to better manage Benmosche when the Board meets in mid-September.
Benmosche acknowledged that he may receive some negative feedback from the Board. "It would be appropriate if they said it," said Benmosche, in an interview with the WSJ on Wednesday. "But the board doesn't have to tell me that. I've already told it to myself."
AIG's Chairman Harvey Golub did say that Benmosche's comments about Cuomo weren't made "in a thoughtful way."
Benmosche is the former head of MetLife (NYSE: MET) and during Benmosche showed his swagger during the hiring process at AIG. He refused to give up his planned multiweek late-summer stay in Croatia.
Many say Benmosche is an outspoken guy, but recently he has amped up this attitude. In fact, some employees have been complaining at Benmosche's frequent use of four-letter curses during meetings. He did say he "sometimes" curses and said it is "inappropriate."
Benmosche said he may have been too aggressive with his comments, but he wanted his employees to know that he will stand up for them and AIG when they and it comes under attack.
Benmosche said that Andrew Cuomo "doesn't deserve to be in government" and that he'd leave dealing with "all those crazies down in Washington" to the company's chairman, according to an account by Bloomberg News that was confirmed by Benmosche.
Some at AIG are unfazed at Benmosche's brashness and say he just articulated that executives at AIG should run the company not regulators. However, the WSJ reported that some board members plan to discuss how to better manage Benmosche when the Board meets in mid-September.
Benmosche acknowledged that he may receive some negative feedback from the Board. "It would be appropriate if they said it," said Benmosche, in an interview with the WSJ on Wednesday. "But the board doesn't have to tell me that. I've already told it to myself."
AIG's Chairman Harvey Golub did say that Benmosche's comments about Cuomo weren't made "in a thoughtful way."
Benmosche is the former head of MetLife (NYSE: MET) and during Benmosche showed his swagger during the hiring process at AIG. He refused to give up his planned multiweek late-summer stay in Croatia.
Many say Benmosche is an outspoken guy, but recently he has amped up this attitude. In fact, some employees have been complaining at Benmosche's frequent use of four-letter curses during meetings. He did say he "sometimes" curses and said it is "inappropriate."
Benmosche said he may have been too aggressive with his comments, but he wanted his employees to know that he will stand up for them and AIG when they and it comes under attack.
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