Shareholder activist and “Queen of the Corporate Jungle” Evelyn Davis is not happy about Ford Motor’s planned sale of British brands Jaguar and Land Rover to Indian automaker Tata Motors. And when Evelyn Davis is not happy about something, she makes sure people know it.
At the annual Ford shareholders meeting on Thursday, Davis, who grills CEOs at hundreds of annual shareholder meetings, called the sale “outrageous” and urged shareholders to vote against the entire board except Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr.
”Tata sells cars that are $2,500 to the lowest of the low outcasts of India,” Davis said, adding that Jaguar represented elegance and exclusivity. “How could the board sell us out to an outfit like that who sell to people like that.”
Ford has agreed to sell Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata in $2.3 billion deal that gives Tata a line-up ranging from the world’s cheapest car to some of its more expensive.
Davis also urged Ford to dump Chief Executive Alan Mulally, hired from Boeing in 2006, because he was “not a car guy.” She urged Bill Ford Jr, who had stepped down from that position to hire Mulally, to retake the CEO position.
“I think you should go back to Boeing,” she told Mulally.
Bill Ford defended Mulally’s record as CEO, saying that his management has moved the turnaround quicker “than anyone thought he could.”
After a repeated exchange with Bill Ford Jr., and requests for details on the company’s hedging practices for currency rates and commodity costs, and questions on the amount of legal fees it has to pay each year, Davis said: “Remember one more thing, a prime minister only serves at the pleasure of the king, and I want the king back,” she said.
“If you are referring to me, thank you, but …,” Ford said. (The rest of his response was drowned out by Davis)
“I want to dump all of the directors except you because you are my king, and you delivered me my Jaguar personally.”
“I paid a regular price by the way, for those who didn’t know that.”
Well, who knew Prime Minister Davis owned a Jaguar? Stay tuned for another set of interesting Davis comments — sure to come at GM’s annual meeting scheduled for June.
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24 comments so far
Tell her to shut up. It seems she is no human to call others outcasts. Dirty mentality
- Posted by C. PereiraEvelyn Davis’s antediluvian mindset is out of touch with today’s India and capabilities of its industries.
- Posted by Sridhar RWhy does this total nut-case continue to be covered by the press. I recall at one of the SEC’s roundtable leading up to the last proxy access proposals, she went on with a rant about being prettier than Nell Minow. This latest disgusting rant tops that. Crass, crass, crass.
- Posted by James McRitchieEvelyn Davis is so outdated! She doesn’t even realize that emerging economies are going to account for a major proportion of world production and consumption. The emerging companies, driven by this strength and with a focus on globalization have risen spectacularly dueing past 4-5 years. Tata remains at the forefront of this revolution, and this is the best that could happen to JLR. Commenting on Tata Motor’s customer base in a derogatory tone does not reflect highly on Evelyn Davis’s understanding of the sweeping changes and a shift in equilibrium in corporate power. My suggestion to her is:
1. Refresh - your knowledge
2. Refrain - from such remarks
3. Retreat - to your cosier world, instead of being a trigger happy “activist”
regards,
- Posted by Brian GeorgeShe needs to see a shrink. Evelyn stinks! Banish her from media. What a hopeless bundle of frustration.
- Posted by Agastya SenMy one liner:
- Posted by AshDogs bark when Elephant is moving. Does anyone listen to dogs ?
Comments by Evelyn Davis shows that she is a dinosaur in today’s world. Calling people who cannot afford expensive cars as “low outcasts” is abusive, racist and discriminatory. It is funny that her comments are considered “interesting” rather than criminal.
- Posted by PrahaarFirst they laugh at you, then they call you names and then you win.
- Posted by Deveshya, nice choice of words from her. shareholder activist?
- Posted by Dan Morgansounds more like a typical greedy arrogant american louse.
someone needs to tell her american car manufacturers suck and have been subsidized or they’d all be out of business like our airlines.
At first I took offence - but when I did a bio on this lady its not a big deal.
She trades favours to corporate men and has had four face lifts! Talk about vanity.
The remarks are still offensive but they are not from anyone important. Now, Im more offended by Reuters publishing news like Fox to get waste of time click throughs from readers like me….
- Posted by SanjayHer remarks about Tata’s clientel in India are simply racist. They evidence her distaste to associate with what she sees as a ‘lowly’ and therefore inferior people and the company that caters to their needs. That she would get airtime in any forum with this trash is unacceptable.
- Posted by Anonymousdavis is true.
- Posted by Milan Limbuit is shocking , just like prada, versace, armani sold to a top chinese fashion retailer.
It is true forecast that the quality of both car brands will be degraded devastatingly.
people will stop buying them.
jaguar & landrover will just be memories to cherish about.
anyway the cycle goes on
China & india rules.
Perhaps she should use her power (as the self-proclaimed Queen) to draw aid from the CEOs she rants against for the not-so-fortunate human beings she calls outcasts. It’s actually hard to believe that she fights FOR shareholders’ rights.
- Posted by VL“the lowest of the low outcasts” So what? Is that business criteria? Big mouth. And shame on Reuters for reprint such displays of vulgarity.
- Posted by M. Justice“Queen of the racist jungle” would have been appropriate to describe her.The Tatas are actually buying the loss making company and not begging for it. By doing so they are actually extending a favour to the lowest of the exploited and racially discriminated American factory workers. It is blatantly obvious that, the rise of the east is not going down well with some people who cant stop their power slipping and going into the hands of deserving and more enterprising people. It is refreshing to know that the rest of the board doesnt think of her.
- Posted by mullahmahendraEvelyn, when you come to India begging for forgiveness for your crass comments and behaviour, dont expect the lowest of the low outcasts in India to give you a free lift.
Evelyn Davis is a Dutch born HOLOCAUST survivor. She belonged to the “Untermenschen” class, yet she has the gall to call people as outcasts elsewhere. Having faced racial genocide, its a wonder that she be so very insensitive.
Untermenschen - “Holocaust victims” generally refers to Jews, the German Nazis also persecuted and often killed millions of members of other groups they considered inferior.
- Posted by rsga cantankerous and venomous-tongued granny
- Posted by SRI would be ashamed to be in her company.
- Posted by Rajan Joshi“How could the board sell us out to an outfit like that who sell to people like that.” First of all who is us? Does she not know that Jaguar was started by Ford? It used to be a British company. Second, what does she mean when she calls Tataa an outfit? Someone capable of buying off Jaguar and Landrover is more than an outfit. She is an ignorant fool.
- Posted by JDwhat a disgusting bigot. she thinks earth is owned and operated by rich people like her ? she probably can’t digest the fact that no british company could compete with the tata. it is time to bite the bullet lady. get over it or dont buy jaguar or land rover.
- Posted by vivekStill she is living in old age concept. Does she not like diversification? She loves a divided society.
- Posted by AmarYes Evelyn, TATA sells to every Indian, irrespective of creed or color, it hires them and treats them with dignity. On the other hand, you, are still so stuck up about your skin and racial superiority and so crass that you cant even hide your bigotry. If Ratan Tata were to read your comments, he would in fact wonder, if he should actually sell Jaguars to people like you, who are so full of themselves that they consider themselves superior to those poorer than them. Shame on you lady and shame on those who think you speak any sort of sense.
- Posted by AksI wonder if Ms. Davis realises that Land Rover’s recognised worlwide not for the Range Rover or LR3 or RR Sport but for the Defender which serves the common man.
- Posted by KevinAn offensive sub-human of NO consequence. Racist, nasty and irrelevant, as most so-called shareholder activists, who add no value, but feel important one half-hour a year at an annual meeting.
- Posted by Kangaroo1960