THINK ACT

ACT: PEUGEOT
to be one of the best in class. This is
why we developed our PSA Excellence
System, which is based on two pillars:
individual intelligence and collective
measures to simplify and slim down
our processes. Implementing the
system must increase our profits. If
you’re not earning enough money in
a competitive global environment,
you’ll die sooner or later.
A company needs cash to grow. If
we’re going to make all of these improvements,
we must be a pioneer of
sustainable and responsible development.
In the 200 years of its existence,
the Group has developed strong
values, and we need to ensure that
these are respected and promoted
among our employees and in relationships
with all stakeholders, both
inside and outside the business.
Why have you put such a strong
emphasis on profi tability?
I was really shocked by what
happened at Pechiney. I saw what
happens when a company’s market
value is not where it should be. I
think value creation is absolutely
critical; what we do must create
value for employees as well as for
shareholders. We have long-term
shareholders who make long-term
decisions. This is a good situation.
When I’m asked if our company is
big enough to develop and succeed
in a global world, my reply is that big
is not always beautiful. It’s not only
a matter of size, even if size clearly
matters; it’s how you create value.
How would you describe yourself
as a leader?
What I can bring is the ability to work
with a team, help to defi ne a vision
and to make it happen every day. This
doesn’t work if you do your managers’
jobs for them. It’s better to let them
do their jobs and be there to help them
make things happen. As for me, I like
being on the fl oor to see for myself how
things are going – what is working and
what isn’t.
I’m very practical. The second thing I
bring is an international perspective.
In the two years before I joined PSA I
spent half of my time in India because
I was with Tata, which had become
the owner of Corus. I also spent nearly
two years in Chicago when I was in
the aluminum industry. I’ve had a lot
of interaction with people on a worldwide
basis.
Has the time you’ve spent at PSA
Peugeot Citröen changed the way
you lead?
I don’t have the answer to that
question yet. What I hope I can
bring to the culture of the company
is an ability to help all employees
embrace a single vision. This will only
happen with the support of all the
people in the company. When a new
manager enters a company that is on
a “burning platform”, like at Corus
where we were about to go broke
and had no credit facility, things can
change pretty quickly.
There was a kind of “burning platform”
when I joined the Group; the
automotive industry suffered a major
crisis after the failure of the fi nancial
system in mid-2008, and that resulted
in very heavy losses and huge
operational challenges. Things are
better now, but I still believe we can
maintain a feeling of “burning platform”
among our employees.
How did you fi nd the Group when
you arrived?
When I joined the company I
was not very surprised, because I
expected to fi nd fantastic technical
potential and great engineers. What
surprised me was the key role of the
design teams. I didn’t realize the
importance customers place on style
and design today compared with the
pure technical performance of the
engines or suspension. I also found
that we have a very cohesive company,
very homogenous from a cultural
standpoint. But we must encourage
our managers to develop and
New Hybrid
Peugeot 3008
The diesel hybrid version of the
Peugeot 3008 was launched in
March 2011. The 2.0-litre, 120-kW
(163-hp) HDi engine operates the
front axle, and the 27-kW (37hp)
electric engine powers the
rear axle. It has an average fuel
consumption of 3.8 liters per 100
kilometers, and CO 2 emissions of
99 grams per kilometer.
Rear-mounted
electric engine
Drive control
60 THINK ACT SEPTEMBER 2011