Can I be the CEO of a big government organisation, please ?

[SerendipityJane]

I'll happily state upfront that I have no idea about how any of them work, so must be in with a running surely ?

...
He told the inquiry he did not know that prosecutions were being brought solely by the Post Office until 2009
...

Similarly to Mr Cook, former chief executive of the Royal Mail Group Adam Crozier also said he was not aware that lawyers within the group conducted prosecutions.
He told the inquiry he did not have a "developed understanding" of how Royal Mail carried out prosecutions.

...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68792632

Alan Cook. The go-too CEO if you want a wrecking ball being taken to your company. The man's like the Roman army - leaves a trail of destruction and havoc in his wake.

And I see Adam Crozier is pleading ignorance as well. How do I get a job where I can be paid millions and be oblivious to what's going on in the company, pretty please?

You could argue that they’d been promoted beyond their capabilities except they never had any capabilities in the first place except for worming their was into a top job.
If you get the job can I be your PA please, just a few £100k will do?

These people should be banned from being directors. It is shameful.

Brings me back to the question I ask far, FAR too often - how do people this stupid end up in charge of anything more important than the office paper clips?

And how do they expect 'oh sheesh, really? I had NO IDEA!!' to be even a halfway credible defence about what went on at the PO under their watch?

I think both of them are lying, and perjury laws may apply. Adam Crozier is someone I would happily see penniless and homeless.

Why can’t we raid their pensions, savings and repossess their houses. Then the people who suffered can get a payout sooner.
Of course their assets are well hidden.

Yes OP, you've got the job.

Let's face it, you could hardly be any worse.

He seems to move seamlessly from presiding over commercial disaster to commercial disaster with never a hitch in his career.

I work in governance and I am aghast that these people did not know prosecutions were taking place or that they didn't know the organisation could bring prosecutions. It really doesn't say much in terms of risk control and management. Especially in such a prominent business which is now a public interest entity. What were the Audit Committee and Board doing? What training did they have when they were appointed and how arrogant were they to think they could effectively perform their duties without training if they had none?

All good and valid questions, and let's hope they get asked.

I've never met a ceo who wasn't promoted beyond their capability

Companies want not too bright yes men ime

Oh, they will be asked.

I doubt they will ever be truly answered.

You know Royal Mail isn't a 'government organisation', right?

Not now, but it was then.

And I am a shareholder !

E2A - oops, not that the Post Office !

It is farcical really. The amount of shuffling about, having been schooled in what to say by top lawyers, is astounding. We won't ever get anyone to stick their hand in the air and say 'oops, I was wrong', but the level of basic incompetence is astounding.

They say people rise to their natural level of incompetence, and that is being proved here in spades.