Karen Egan, SVP GS is outta here.
Good riddance
14 replies (most recent on top)
How many SVP / VP / leaders have left in the last 2 years (starting a full year before Broadcom), ya’ll should thank Karen for staying as long as she has and for paving a pathway to leave and to create other jobs outside vmware for alumni.
I count that over 70% of the senior leaders in vmware have left in the last 2 years (not scientific math, but back of a napkin). They can all see how lost the company is, how carcinogenic the culture has become, and now they can see the layoff wave coming.
Follow her lead, her actions tell the real story that she can’t put politically into words
May need to update this blog post / interview with her skill sets for company transitions. Lie and Leave.
https://antoniosantos.blog/2021/07/05/the-key-tenets-of-leadership-interview-with-karen-egan-svp-global-customer-support-at-vmware/
I fully agree with @4qkm+1iofXvxm . I also work in support, Karen is only looking out for herself. Nobody else matters. What an awesome leader.
I work in her team. I feel cheated. How naive of us to think she was different and had some integrity. Just out for herself at the expense of all of us underneath her after telling staff multiple times not to panic and it's BAU, all the while interviewing on the quiet. Her inner circle sycophants will still defend her. Was she party to advance information? Some indication in the talks with BCOM that gave her an indication support will be straight out the door? Maybe. She could get a leadership position anytime, why jump now? If she had integrity she would steer us through best she can then go afterwards and still get a good 6 figure+ golden goodbye after being there years. Now a Finance guy in charge not even in/from support? No confidence in her team? No succession? Not needed as it will be broken up? Caretaker role that wont ruin his resume? Bad bad bad.
The reality is, even if she was great, bcom is likely to outsource support and will have no use for her.
I didn't know Karen, but I do know this: GS is eff'ing broken, and getting worse. It has been on a steady decline ever since about 2012 (interesting timing with the arrival of Pat G), and seems to be accelerating. As the Customer Success org gets more and more bloated, the actual customer experience gets proportionally worse.
Karen IS an amazing leader. GS have done so well under her guidance. I fear this is the beginning of the inevitable end … especially with who the interim mantle has been handed to ;(
Karen is an awe inspiring leaver, she’ll inspire others to leave too.
All this proves is that’ it really is everyone for themselves. Don’t count on any VP or leader to tell you otherwise. Not so long ago on a GS town hall, Karen promised to be in this Broadcom takeover, along with the rest of GS, for the long haul……well that lasted for < 8 weeks 😀😀😀.
It’s everyone for themselves. Simple as that.
Well, as direct reports to Sumit, I can count like 12 SVPs or VPs.... so that doesnt include the BUs.
You have to ask yourself... How many VPs and SVPs are needed?
And are the ones you see leaving since the announcement the ones that dont have 10+M in stock riding on this? That is my guess. Not all of them have Change in Control clauses and my guess their new gig will cover whatever would have vested short term.
What amazes me is the number of VPs. Its like a bank where they hand out VP titles like candy. Business has changed. There used to be a president, and his vice presidents. Now there is even a hierarchy of VPs to the point that the layers of management become useless and costly. #JustSayin
Never worked with her, but VMware's GSS is a joke. Don't know how much of that was under her control, but support is comically bad at VMware.
I've worked very closely with Karen in the past, she'll be a loss to the organisation. She is one of the most approachable leaders in VMware and will always 'get involved' and scrum down with the team. She never hides behind hierarchy having worked her way through the ranks, she really does have a 'client first' mindset. While other VP's leave with no consequence her departure will have an operational and motivational impact.
Does the OP even know her? She’s a nice person and a great leader.
OP sounds like a bell end.
Karen will be a huge loss to GS. She’ll be very much missed.
I don’t agree with the sentiments above. Everyone has to look after their own interests themselves. She has made that decision for herself. The rest of us have to do the same.