Surprise as Sir Dan goes part-time
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THERE has been considerable surprise in road haulage circles at the announcement that Sir Daniel Pettit is not to continue as full-time chairman and chief executive of the National Freight Corporation but has agreed to accept an appointment as parttime executive chairman.
Making the announcement last week, Transport Minister John Gilbert said that Sir Dan's part-time service would be for a period of three years from January 1, 1976; his full-time contract of service expired on December 31 last.
At a number of road transport donferences in recent years Sir Dan has provoked comment with the assertion that managers who are over the age of 50 are "ripe for the knackers' yard." The point of the observation was to underline the highly complex nature of modern business organisation with the essential need for numeracy. Sir Dan's halfserious comment led to an exchange of views in the journal of the Transport Salaried Staff Association; some supervisory and managerial staff of the NFC companies read rather more into Sir Dan's thinking aloud than he had intended.
When reminded of the " knacker's yard" reference on Monday, Sir Dan rejoined with typical vigour : "The price of meat has gone up a lot since then."
It may be assumed that despite Sir Dan's part-time status • he will continue to play an active role in shaping NFC policies. Indeed, one of those in regular contact with the part-time executive chairman assured CM that even on a part-time basis Sir Dan is likely to spend virtually as much time at Argosy House as before — and he is notorious for working a 12-hour day when business pressures demand this.
As announced in CM on December 26, Mr Peter Thompson has been appointed executive vice-chairman (operations) of the NFC, with the heads of the operating companies now reporting direct to him; and Mr Victor Paige, as the new executive vice-chairman (administration) will be responsible for all the central support activities of the corporation, including those previously reporting to the chairman.
Mr Peter Land, previously supremo of the parcels and smalls companies, has become director of corporate planning to develop and strengthen this activity.
Now it is announced that a parcels and small freight liaison unit of the NFC will ensure that major policy considerations affecting this business are planned •in a coordinated way.