Firing Andrew Mason Would Be a Statement, Not a Solution, for Groupon
A day before Groupon’s board was set to convene to discuss the possible replacement of CEO Andrew Mason, the embattled Mason was interviewed in a widely covered interview at the Business Insider Ignition conference in New York City on Wednesday. Regarding news that the board was about to consider pushing him out, Mason said: “Our stock is down 80% [year-to-date] … it would be weird for the board not to be asking that question.” He added that it would be more noteworthy if the board wasn’t discussing this potential move. Mason made it clear that he cares more about the success of Groupon than his job as CEO, even saying “if I ever thought I wasn’t the right guy for the job, I’d be the first person to fire myself.” But if Groupon and its investors think that replacing Mason is the solution, they’d better think again. The story of the acquisition of Adku and the quick departure of its three founders two months later is a microcosm of the real issue here: talent retention. Mason, if anything, helps Groupon retain top-tier talent. His departure could have a domino effect on the company and its ability to attract and keep key talent. Despite the splashy headlines it would make, maybe replacing Mason isn’t Groupon’s best move. Andrew Mason: the good guy, the fall guy, the victim. Who would’ve thought? (CNNMoney, TechCrunch)
