By Robert Farago
March 3, 2008 - 5,786 views
As opposed to… "Inactive Subaltern Status Quo Soldier?" Whatever you call Peter Arnell, Automotive News [AN, sub] reports that Chrysler's "Big Idea" consultant is prowling Auburn Hills, tweaking the American automaker's branding, product planning, customer relations and dealership coordination. (Arnell was the brains behind the hugely expensive Celin Dion - Chrysler Pacifica promotion; regarded as a total flop.) Reading between the lines, AN reckons Arnell may exacerbate Chrysler's long-standing tradition of internecine conflict. "Arnell's consulting services bring him into areas of the company that already have bosses, raising the spectre of possible turf wars and executive conflicts. Among the people and the areas to watch: Trevor Creed is Chrysler's chief designer; Deborah Meyer is chief marketing officer; Frank Klegon heads product development." Arnell– salary unknown– may have the edge on his erstwhile rivals. He worked with CEO Bob Nardelli over at Home Depot, where the dream team unleashed the caps lock ORANGE WORKS in the winter of '06. The range of chi-chi bespoke products (e.g. a martini shaker-shaped fire extinguisher) did nothing much for Home Depot's bottom line.
Subscribe to New Content Alerts9 Responses to “ Chrysler’s “Acting Chief Innovative Officer” Breaks Cover ”
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March 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
Wow, that photo is pretty apropo. It seems like every office, including mine, has one of these types. They look annoying even while smiling.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:08 am
This guy may be the “acting” chief innovation officer, but shouldn’t Trevor Creed be the “real” chief innovation officer. Isn’t that his job?
Chrysler doesn’t need innovation. It needs to get the basics right. Like interiors with quality materials, rasonably attractive exteriors, and radical reductions in the number and severity of defects.
It’s not about innovation, it’s about perpriration. You would have thought Press picked that up in his 30 years at Toyota.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
“Among the people and the areas to watch: Trevor Creed is Chrysler’s chief designer; Deborah Meyer is chief marketing officer; Frank Klegon heads product development.”
Trevor Creed = Responsible for okaying the new Sebring
Deborah Meyer = Responsible for those awful “Dr. Z” ads.
Frank Klegon = Responsible for okaying all those badge engineered SUVs (Nitro, Aspen, Patriot)
Peter Arnell = Responsible for the Pacifica/Celine Dion tragedy
My God… Its a cavalcade of failure!
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
“Deborah Meyer = Responsible for those awful “Dr. Z” ads.”
Deborah Meyer, like Jim Press, came to Chrysler after Cerberus bought it from “Dr. Z”. Deborah Meyer is the former head of Lexus marketing. Maybe we could blame Dieter himself for the “Dr. Z” ads? He certainly fits the definition of failure.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
“the hugely expensive Celin Dion - Chrysler Pacifica promotion”
Admit it. You thought the car looked good by comparison.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Robert Schwartz :
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
“the hugely expensive Celin Dion - Chrysler Pacifica promotion”
Admit it. You thought the car looked good by comparison.
It was certainly a stark contrast: the grossly obese Pacifica next to Skeletine Dion. Ugh.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Great, another person running around to tell you how bad an employee you are and how much you need them. Aren’t all these management consultants types afflicted with some sort of Munchausen by proxy syndrome?
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Notify Scott Adams… he could mine this guy and Chrysler for weeks of Dilbert material.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
http://www.demotivators.com/consulting.html
From the demotivational genuises at despair.com, “Consulting…if you’re not part of the solution, there is good money to be made in prolonging the problem.”