Unless you’ve just returned from a lengthy expedition to a land where mobile phones get no signal, the internet is still a twinkle-eyed futuristic dream and the only TV you get is a fuzzy version of ITV (or the Scottish Highlands as it’s otherwise known), then you may have gathered that the last few days have been unprecedented in history. The world’s financial system has creaked in a way not seen since the Great Depression, something accentuated by the overarching globalisation we all have an antagonistic/apathetic love/hate relationship with.
And my employer has been right in the middle of it. All in all, not a very pleasant few days.
I am not going to comment about the hows, whys, whats and who’s of the takeover. Some of my views will no doubt come with the tagline “these do not represent the opinion of xxxx plc”. However, on Tuesday evening I had resolved to be positive on Wednesday morning, to try and show a bit of leadership to my team, attempt to get the morale off the floor. This all disappeared fairly quickly as our share price seemed to take its final dive into oblivion.
What happened next has been very well reported and I do not know any more than has been plastered all over the news channels and websites. Really, I don’t. In fact, Robert Peston of the BBC probably knows far more than I ever will – or so it appears from his very accurate and timely reporting. There is now a sense of substantial relief in my office, along with a developing uncertainty as to what it will all mean. Who knows, I certainly don’t.
All I want to say, though, is thank you. In this difficult and scary time, I’ve had so many messages from so many different friends, offering support and encouragement to me and, by implication, to my colleagues. It’s been really great and I’ve been overwhelmed. If I forget to say it to you individually, here it is – thank you.
