Sybase chief elected to Disney board (http://news.com.com/2110-1026-5112866.html?tag=nefd_hed) - C|Net News.com, 12/02/03
Sybase Chief Executive John Chen agreed on Tuesday to join Walt Disney's board of directors, following the stormy resignations of two Disney board members, including the founder's nephew, Roy Disney. In a clash with Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner, Disney quit the board on Sunday followed by fellow director Stanley Gold.

so - how much does anyone want to bet that the reasons this guy was chosen were:
1) he's CEO of a technology that Disney needs for their marketing campaigns and CGI efforts (database and content storage
2) This way Eisner can claim he's using Independent members since Sybase is not in the entertainment industry, even though they are probably already a SUPPLIER to the entertainment industry
3) Gets technology on the cheap through deals (how many free vacations will the new version cost)?
4) Oracle, Microsoft, and IBM were "too big" of names to bring on board (or are in co-opetition with Disney, Inc.)

Sorry - as a shareholder I am not that dumb...

Originally posted by olegc
so - how much does anyone want to bet that the reasons this guy was chosen were:
1) he's CEO of a technology that Disney needs for their marketing campaigns and CGI efforts (database and content storage
2) This way Eisner can claim he's using Independent members since Sybase is not in the entertainment industry, even though they are probably already a SUPPLIER to the entertainment industry
3) Gets technology on the cheap through deals (how many free vacations will the new version cost)?
4) Oracle, Microsoft, and IBM were "too big" of names to bring on board (or are in co-opetition with Disney, Inc.)

Sorry - as a shareholder I am not that dumb...
So what's wrong with any of the reasons you offer? If you think there's a hidden agenda, let's hear what you think it is. None of the above appears to be hidden to me.

OK - so since we only have public and past history - lets go with the paragraph from the press release...
"BURBANK, Calif., Dec. 02, 2003 - The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Board of Directors Tuesday elected John S. Chen, chairman, CEO and president of Sybase, Inc., as a new independent director, effective January 2004. "John Chen's more than two decades of success as a business leader, and his expertise in the field of technology, made him an excellent addition to the Disney board," said Michael Eisner, Disney chairman and chief executive officer. From a strategic perspective, some of Disney's most significant long-term growth opportunities reside in the smart use of technology, and John will help the board ensure we're steering the company in the right direction." Chen said he was pleased to be invited to join the Disney board, and he is enthusiastic about the company's initiatives to take advantage of the latest trends in technology to develop content as well as distribute it in new and more efficient ways. "

In this paragraph the words "independent" "steering the company" and "trends in technology" imply that no other business relationship will exist other than guidance and understanding. HOwever, given the past history of how Board members are selected and then apparently rewarded for certain decisions, it's apparent that a Board that surrounds a CEO with people who may do what the CEO wants without considering what's best for the company is a dangerous thing.

Since this is a look into one possible future - I am not implying that this WILL happen. I just think it's highly likely. Then once certain side deals are made - it no longer represents a truly independent view of a Board of Directors if someone benefits financially themselves from certain decisions (outside of stock prive, of course).

That's what I was getting at. Sure it has some conspiracy theory to it. That's whay it's an opinion and that's why I said "wanna bet"...

Not a good sign....

At Sybase, Chen, 48, has ,overseen a restructuring that split the company into four divisions cushioning the effect of a falloff in database sales. He has cut the workforce from about 4,200 when he took over to about 3,900 as of last year.

"He's very smart, fairly strong-willed," said former Sybase CEO Mitchell Kertzman, who is now a venture capitalist in San Francisco. Chen should be seen as an encouraging choice for critics of Eisner, he said.

"He's certainly not a pushover," Kertzman said.