Dany Bahar Faces Critics Referring To Him as Notorious For Taking Risks - By: Tom Schneider

What is notoriety? We all cringe when we hear the word - particularly when it is referenced towards a person rather than an inanimate place or object.

'He's notorious for his 'bolshie' attitude'... 'She's notorious for playing around...'; 'They're notorious for their foul language'. We've heard them all and they never fail to make me smile. Why? Because, as a journalist, I've been called notorious in my day - my notoriety coming from the fact that I'll keep digging deeply until I get to the truth of a situation and who wouldn't, when you're sniffing out a good story..?

I have come across many other people in this business that have been labelled as being 'notorious'. Now, while people use the word, they never define it - I mean, it's a word which needs the next part of the sentence to make the whole meaning complete. Notorious for what? Not paying the bill, not turning up to work on time, not being a good team player...? It needs clarification. In other words the word 'notorious' is so often used out of context that it becomes a non-sequitur - it has no conclusion as it does not follow from established premises or evidence. It's a non-word!!

Hey - isn't that interesting? But the actual explanation of the word 'notorious' - at least, according to my Universal Dictionary says it is something or indeed someone 'known widely and regarded unfavourably, even infamous.' That's a bit rich when talking about a person who is perhaps actually drawing the wrong impression for throwing the boundaries out of action in the pursuit of achievement, is it not? Notorious also refers to something - or even someone - generally known and discussed - but in the context of being, perhaps the subject of jealousy.

You may wonder where this preamble is coming from, but I have been moved into a discussion through these articles to put forward my thoughts on Dany Bahar - who you know is CEO of Group Lotus - this week. Dany has been figuring prominently in the realms of motorsports in the past few days, not only because he has been unveiling some pretty nippy numbers at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but also because he has been a driving force behind the announcement that Petronas Lubricants has signed a multi-year deal to become the official lubricants partner for Lotus's GT Motorsport.

This relationship will work on many levels including a comprehensive technical and business collaboration agreement. Bahar said at the signing: "For Lotus, motorsport isn't just a branding exercise - ultimately, we're in it to win and Petronas shares this philosophy."

It's yet another bold move for Bahar - and one which will certainly add to his notoriety in certain circles - namely amongst the band of people who just love to find fault in every move he makes, every word he utters. I was discussing notoriety with Bahar some weeks ago.

The subject came into the conversation when we were talking about his plans for Group Lotus and I idly mentioned that I'd heard he was notorious was flitting from company to company. I mentioned to him that there was a certain circle of people who seemed to enjoy putting rumours around about him, which were quite unsavoury.

He smiled. "I'm not sure that being notorious is a good thing, but sometimes it's unavoidable when you take risks in business," he said. And there's no doubt, he has taken a few risks since signing up with Group Lotus a couple of years ago. His decision to change the game plan on the production line, putting the new Elan to the back of the queue and bringing the new mid-engine Esprit into prime position caused a few raised eyebrows in the industry.

The rumours abounded and his notoriety grew. He was accused of laying off a large chunk of the Hethel workforce, of forcing unsold cars on to reluctant dealers and over-borrowing to finance the five-year plan of which he is two thirds through now.

But it's all part of the make-up of Bahar - taking risks in business are second nature to him and he faces his critics with his head held high. If, along the way, he is referred to as being 'notorious' then, as I see it - and certainly as he does - it's an inevitability. His critics love to spread the dirt around... and I wouldn't be alone in suggesting that, instead of informed criticism which follows Bahar, it's uninformed and tinged with a load of jealousy.

About the Author

Tom Schneider is a college graduate from UCLA. He is an experienced and talented writer, who specializes in personal training and self-improvement. You can view one of many examples of articles Tom has written at the following article: Dany Bahar's Vision

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