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I first met Thomas Nevins in October, 1989, when I met him with
two senior people from the home office of my company at the time,
Data General. I was part of an exploratory mission to work on
strategy and contingency on how to carry out cost saving and staff
reduction at Data General.
I had been in the company 18 years since its founding. I would
be directly responsible for reducing head count well below the
over 800 head-count level we had at the time. My English was weaker
than I wanted (still is!), so when I heard Mr. Nevins speaks fluent
Japanese, I asked if I could schedule a separate meeting the next
week with him.
To make a long story short, we smoothly got through all the turmoil
of what we had to do at Data General. Unbeknownst to Mr. Nevins,
in late 1990, I got a call from one of TMT's Executive Search
Consultants. I was just winding down the successful downsizing
and had already indicated that I would also accept responsibility
and resign.
Philip Morris' corporate culture is quite different from that
at Data General so I am trying my best to adapt and make my contribution.
Fortunately we have good solid vendors and partners working toward
our success. After making some of our major, most senior placements
here, TMT doesn't just stop trying. They continue to make a genuine
effort to help us and serve us at various levels. As of today,
according to our files, TMT has placed 18 people with us.
At first I knew Mr. Nevins as someone who consulted on downsizing.
But TMT's Executive Search Consultants are pretty good at upsizing,
too.
Eiichi Tanuma
Director, Human Resources
Philip Morris K.K.
December, 1992
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