Durante la tarde de ayer os ofrecíamos en exclusiva la renuncia de Carlos Lareau de su puesto de CCO en Burson Marsteller, empresa a la que ha pertenecido durante quince años. En dicha noticia adjuntábamos la sentida carta de despedida genérica que envió a los trabajadores de la firma, en la que agradecía el trato recibido durante esta etapa profesional. Hoy, vamos un paso más allá y os dejamos la misiva que Lareau dedicó a la cúpula directiva de la firma.

En esta carta, Lareau se sincera ante sus compañeros de trinchera, y explica los motivos por los que decidió presentar su renuncia tras apenas un año en el cargo, entre los que destacaba la desmotivación que venía sufriendo durante los últimos tiempos, a pesar de resaltar la excelente trayectoria de la firma en el periplo transcurrido desde mediados de 2004 hasta la fecha.

Así mismo, Lareau afirma que la llegada de Mark Penn el pasado mes de diciembre como Consejero Delegado mundial de la firma ha abierto una nueva etapa, etapa que espera sea exitosa tanto para la firma como para todos los empleados que en ella trabajan.

Adjuntamos la carta:

Dear all

As you may have read/heard earlier today, I have tendered my resignation from B-M, which will be effective immediately. I feel the time is right to say good-bye after spending roughly half of my professional life in B-M.

However, I don't want to exit the stage without a special word to a group of people around the B-M world (and in other Y&R companies, as well as some of our closer affililiates) whom I consider more than "just" colleagues. First, in the spirit of frankness, a footnote about the reasons for my departure.The last 18 months in B-M have been --to say the least-- "eventful" for the firm. In this period, I have come to understand that there are no new and motivating challenges for me to undertake in our Company. Like all of you, I like to feel a twinge of anticipation every morning for what the work-day has in store. This has not happened for a while. Consequently, it's time to seek new horizons elsewhere and fuel my sense of professional purpose. Moving on --and being timely about it—is the right thing at this juncture. As one of you said in a lovely note a while ago, "the wind changes, but all one has to do is re-set the sails".

With B-M's new management finally in place, a new era of change
begins –as confirmed by today's "First Impressions" note from the firm's new CEO.

I wish the new leadership every success in this endeavour. Not so much for their own individual sake but --mainly-- for the sake of the thousands of B-Mers around the globe, current and past, that in every single region, office and position, have made this a unique company. I hope that special combination of values, smarts, work ethic and style --Harold's imprint, in sum-- is preserved in the years to come.

Not even an old-salt like me can purport to know every single one of those many great colleagues around the world, but I can proudly claim that I have had the privilege of associating over the years with many, many outstanding individuals. And you are one of them. In my view, people like you collectively represent the finest traditions of B-M: intelligence, curiosity, perseverance, respect, integrity, leadership... You believe in taking responsibility, in working hard, in leading from up-front, in making choices, in extending and expecting trust, in acting with honor, integrity, loyalty and decency. You are not averse to taking the route-least-travelled; to saying "no", to saying "why?". You start your phrases with the term we" and seldom with the word "me". And, to boot, you do that with flair, elegance and --so importrantly!-- with wit and humor. Working with people like you --be it daily or maybe just once or twice over the years-- has been, I repeat, a rare privilege. And feeling that many of you are not just valued colleagues but true friends, is an honor that I will cherish. I leave B-M with a happy heart, knowing that I've given it my best and satisfied that I've functioned more than I've fumbled. The most effective and strong organizations are those where one is compelled by unwritten rules to perform to the highest standards. Not because of an abstraction ("the company", "the brand", "the shareholders"...) nor by hierarchy or command structure, but by the desire to live up to the expectations of the individuals one respects --be they leaders, peers, colleagues or clients. As long as people like you continue to abound in B-M and in our sister companies, things will be all right.

Thank you all, sincerely, for so many things. Please continue to be yourslves because the B-Mers of today and tomorrow deserve that our Company's proud heritage be preserved. I wish you the best in all  respects. In your work and, most importantly, in your personal lives. Thanks, especially, to those who have already sent in a kind note or a call. I will reply one by one asap. I promise. My B-M e-mail will be functional for at least a couple of weeks and my personal mail is below.

So, as I finish these "last impressions" I have one final favor to ask. Let's all disprove that the stereotype "keep in touch" means the opposite by really keeping in touch.

Cheers,
C.