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CIO of General Motors (GM)

chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra, India's 10th largest company and the country's largest manufacturer of utility vehicles and tractors.

Richard F. Teerlink, a CPA by education and training, has served as an auditor, controller, strategic planner, plant manager, and vice president. His greatest success is the turnaround of Harley-Davidson. He joined the company in August 1981, two months after the management buyout, as Chief Financial Officer. In 1982 Teerlink was elected to the Board of Directors. He was one of the driving forces behind the financial strategies and tactics that led Harley-Davidson back to success. In 1986, he led the effort to guide the firm back to public ownership. He was appointed Chairman of the Board of Harley-Davidson, Inc. in May 1996 and served as President and Chief Executive Officer from March 1989 to June 1997.

In 2000, Nissan Motor announced its biggest loss ever. A year later, it reported the largest net profit in its history. The turnaround was led by Carlos Ghosn, one of the few foreign executives ever to head a Japanese company. In this interview, he discusses his first year at Nissan.

Note: Older EBF articles are not currently online. I'm not sure if this is temporary or permanent. If you click you will be taken to the Archive.org site to find an archived copy.

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Nissan's multicultural boss talks about Japanese business culture, leadership and the perils and opportunities of corporate stardom.