FT Names Cisco CEO 'Chief Obfuscation Champion'

AP

Lucy Kellaway, a columnist and associate editor the Financial Times, the preeminent British business newspaper, just named Cisco CEO John Chambers "Chief Obfuscation Champion" — or "COC" for short.

It's part of her annual awards for "guff, cliché, euphemism and verbal stupidity" by top business execs.

She had originally been planning to give the award to Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts but, she writes:

"I’m forced to take it away from her and give it to John Chambers instead. Last month he sent out an email to Cisco employees beginning 'Team,' and ending: 'We’ll wake the world up and move the planet a little closer to the future.' Mr Chambers beats Ms Ahrendts because he has created a concoction of sublime arrogance and cheesiness out of short, household words. He is a well-deserving COC."

Ahrendts did manage to walk away with another award, as did several others. These included The Preposition Award, Most Extravagant Job Title, and Best Euphemism For Firing People.

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