Agency boss Kevin Roberts resigns after claiming women prefer not to be in adland management
Less than a week after making outspoken comments denying there was an issue in gender discrimination in adland management, the global boss of Saatchi & Saatchi and chief coach of holding company Publicis Groupe Kevin Roberts has resigned.
Photographer Juan Carrera | Source: saatchikevin.com
The announcement came in a short press statement from Publicis. It stated:
August 3, 2016 – PARIS – Publicis Groupe announced today the resignation of Kevin Roberts Head Coach de Publicis Groupe, Executive Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi/Fallon, Member of the Management Board.
The Supervisory Board and the Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe took note of Kevin Robert’s decision to step down with effect from September 1st 2016, prior to his retirement date due in May 2017.
Issue over, gender diversity dealt with. Right?
Wrong. They fired a guy whose words (if you read the whole article) may have been misconstrued, they threw someone under the bus without the chance to correct themselves or apologise, educate themselves and in the process educate an industry on what is the right way to do things and the wrong way.
Instead they burned him at the stake, and history has taught us that never solves anything.
Whatever happened to forgiveness and rehabilitating people? Social media witch hunt.
Love the pout over the fuse ball table. How many women in his agency played fuse ball? Zero I reckon. Everything communicates.
Could it possibly be that this incident was the tip of an iceberg?
@Him – Why are you making a point about gender inequality by stating that women aren’t interesting in playing foosball? I know many women who played foosball, pool, snooker, table tennis, etc in my old agencies.
Bit rich of you to be making sexist generalisations while pointing out gender inequality issues isn’t it?
I don’t see what is so shocking about his words. Taken out of context, they sound very hurtful – but when you read the whole sentence/response – it’s not really chauvinistic.
I’m a woman in the branding industry and I don’t think this was offensive or wrong. I’m not denying that there are still a lot of problems concerning gender discrimination in the world and that many things need to change, but to be honest, there’s nothing wrong with saying that some women (just like men) might be happier staying in their role and not climb the ladder of (perceived) corporate “success”. In the future, one’s definition of success will be less conventional, and people will pursue their favourite roles and the careers that make them truly happier (and fit their desired lifestyle) – not necessarily the “leading role in the industry”.
In short: there is a big gender discrimination problem – but I don’t believe what Roberts said demonstrated this or should have embarrassed Saatchi & Saatchi and Publicis Groupe.
I’m saddened he had to put a stop to such a long career in these circumstances. I hope people will start taking action on the real issue, and not focus on him as an individual.
I agree with you Nina. I understood what he was saying, albeit clumsily.
Huge congrats to the lynch mob for ruining a man’s life.
Who’s next?
The thought police is watching, and the wrath of crazy cat lady Gallop is only a tweet away.
See you all at the dance party on Kevin Roberts’ grave.
No doubt he will be replaced by a woman to make up the quotas
the thought police have struck again