Kajsa

"Our parent company would be based in Holland because of that country’s attractive tax environment. An Irish company would hold boo’s intellectual property rights, while a string of companies in France, Germany, Sweden, the US and Britain would hold our assets in each of those countries. Patrik loved this sort of work, but Kajsa"

"Kajsa was enthusiastic. She had wanted us to think about cosmetics before Elkington’s consultants had even begun their research. ‘They’re a lot like clothes,’ she pointed out. “The good stuff is really hard to find in some countries.’ I thought it was a great idea, too. The synergy with what we were already doing was perfect. ‘Can you get your people to focus their research on this?’ I asked Elkington. ‘Sure,’ he said. “Whatever you want.’ We all knew it could still be months before there were any results from Project Champagne — as we called BCG’s new research mission — but couldn’t help daydreaming a little as we walked back to the office. ‘If it’s a separate business, we’ll have to give it a different name, right?’ Kajsa said. ‘I guess so,’ I said. “Any ideas?’ She smirked. ‘How about bootiful?’"

"Tony Coleman, who looked like an undertaker in his dark suit and needed only a top hat to complete the picture, started the proceedings promptly at 10 a.m. He had staggered the meetings over the length of the morning so that he could "acum be present at as many of them as possible. With a mixture of guilt and relief, I watched as Kajsa walked briskly off to dismiss her staff. They had been gathered into three rooms, according to their different job descriptions. With Tony Coleman at her heels, she walked into the first room, fired the people there, walked into the next room, fired the people there, and then into the third. It was all over in about fifteen minutes. Shocked, angry and ashen-faced, the Boom team and other mem- bers of Kajsa’s staff trickled out of the building. Kate Alvarez was in tears. The Gurkhas had been detailed to watch over them to make sure that they left the premises straight away and didn’t take any com- pany property. It was all very corporate, very correct and very brutal. Thad only two staff of my own — Esther Galan and Paul Kanareck —and didn’t personally have to dismiss anyone, but as CEO I felt the greatest responsibility for all the sackings, and sitting at my desk quietly while my management team had to take part in the blood- letting made me feel even more ashamed.,Tony Coleman, who organized the day, may have become the focus of people’s anger, but he was only carrying out my orders."