Silence General Directors

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Mr. President, history, it is clear that tariffs increase prices, unemployment and inequality, reducing productivity and economic growth. Chairman of the US Central Bank said as much same Wednesday.

As General Directors of the state -owned companies, we disagree with your trade policy in the strongest conditions. We promise to do our best to challenge them. Do not doubt our unity and solve in this matter.

And, by the way, 250 signatories below control two-thirds of state capital markets, 25-year annual revenues and 35 million employees. Our global tax deposit last year exceeded a trillion dollars.

Did you see this full message from the main leaders of the world in The Financial Times yesterday? No, you didn’t do it. There were none. Not in this newspaper, not anywhere else.

Silence of Directors General Before Tariff Chaos Donald Trump is one of the biggest failures in corporate history. Where are they when we need? In the corner moving the shoes.

Some chiefs are said to have expressed concern behind closed doors. Very bold. Others claim that the interaction with the administration’s officials – this The best approach.

How’s it going then? The shareholders have already lost trillion. So, do you strategically not talk so that the White House does not recall? It’s like worrying about the stomach’s hit after the throat was cut.

Several executives were reliable, we are told. Jamie Dimon Jpmorgan says about it “This uncertainty is complicated”. The head of Delta’s air lines called the “application” situation. Justice in the field of healthcare can suffer, warned the Astrazeneca chair.

Oh, stop! What became with the “mega-carp” -and of those who managed them more powerful than nation -states? Now we know who wear pants.

The irony is that most of our executives went through some training. Almost 40 percent of the S&P 500 bosses have MBA. Corner Suites Teem with coaches calling them “go for a conversation”.

Currently, there are 160 management programs specializing in guide. Last year, 7,000 students started only a leadership in the UK only. And don’t forget about corporate books shelves every year. Amazon lists more than 30,000 that calls for executives Start with why If they want to go from Good to make great.

The lame average would be nice.

So why could the world bosses not lead if it was clear that each of their stakeholders would suffer if anything is any tariffs that are discussed?

We cannot blame the teachers. Harvard University – Houses, perhaps MBA’s main program on the planet, as well as countless guidance courses – has announced the whole war with Trump This month. It’s a mischief. What excuse has graduates – from McDonald’s executives to Citigroup and Novartis -?

In private, they say the law is a law. Tariffs are carried out in accordance with the executive power – delegated by Congress decades ago to combat unjust practices or national security issues.

But unlike other politicians, there are several checks and residues with tariffs. Congress cannot cancel them, and the administration does not need to demonstrate the benefit, not to mention the protection of economic costs.

In other words, you can do a lot. But there is nothing to stop the executives who press the congress to withdraw the executive power over the tariffs. They already sign $ 4.5 billion annually on the US Federal Labification.

Not enough of this, they can also urge legislators to strengthen the criteria for tariffs, according to Institute of BroakingEnter the mandatory reporting or strengthening of judicial supervision.

A dozen executives that require these changes will not work. Hundreds or really thousands of chiefs acting as one – represent consumers, employees and suppliers – cannot be ignored.

Chairs and boards should be enhanced. The decades of peace and economic stability have allowed technocrat, operational chiefs and financials to rise to the top of the business. Many suffer from the impostor syndrome for a good reason. They need to be replaced by true vision leaders and steel, less qualified in empathy seminars, but ruthless when it comes to fighting for what is right – for shareholders and, frankly, all of us.

The reaction to the spinners to the tariffs suggests that the current part of the General Directors should be fired – as can say anyone in the White House.

stuart.kirk@ft.com