Melissa Agnes

San Fransisco Chronicle, February 22, 2016Online

URL: http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Uber-marshals-crisis-response-for-Michigan-6847807.php

Melissa Agnes provides expert insight and commentary on an Uber crisis. Melissa's quote from the article: "“When your brand is constantly in the news being associated with negativity — and worse, devastating crimes — it adds up,” said Melissa Agnes, president of crisis-management firm Agnes & Day. “At the very least, it gives people a subconscious negative association with the brand. At the worst, it can make people begin to wonder whether or not they’re safe when entering into a car with an Uber driver.” Uber needs to be proactive, said Agnes [...]"

The Wall Street Journal, September 19, 2016Online

URL: http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2016/09/19/crisis-of-the-week-fake-accounts-scandal-rocks-wells-fargo/

Melissa Agnes provides expert insight and commentary on the Wells Fargo crisis of 2016. Melissa's quote from the article: “While its communications have been constant and well crafted, Wells Fargo has missed in one unforgiving regard: It is attempting to scapegoat the 5,300 employees that have been fired for having conducted this fraudulent behavior while the executive team attempts to get off scot-free. “The fact is that this crisis is a result of a major systemic failure and thus is a crisis of corporate culture. If it’s true the senior management team had no clue this behavior was taking place so often and by so many, then there was clearly a breakdown within the bank’s controls and oversight responsibilities by the executive team. This is a severe issue that has yet to be addressed within the bank’s crisis management. “While Wells Fargo is addressing ways in which it will prevent and deter this exact incident from happening again, but by not addressing or fixing the bigger systemic failure that roots from the top down how can stakeholders trust a different type of misconduct won’t materialize and go unnoticed until it’s too late?”

The Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2017Online

URL: http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2017/03/06/crisis-of-the-week-oscars-mistake-puts-pwcs-accountability-to-test/

Melissa Agnes provides expert insight and commentary on PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's 2017 Oscar snafu. Melissa's quote from the article: “A large part of successful crisis management is derived from an organization’s culture and mindset. Mr. Ryan was quoted as saying what was going through his head at the time was, ‘We have to get to the bottom of this, and if we made a mistake, we’ll own up to it,’ and that says it all. The fact his first reaction and instinct was to take this approach to managing the incident says wonders about PwC’s culture and the people behind this multibillion-dollar brand. “So it should come as no surprise that the organization took the right approach in handling this high-profile snafu. It apologized quickly and sincerely, took complete responsibility of the situation and stated the actions it will be taking to investigate the root cause of the incident. Once the cause of the incident was determined, the firm provided a timely and transparent update, which included another apology, holding itself further accountable. “While time will tell what the real impact will be on PwC’s reputation, the fact it’s proven it has a culture that positions the firm to take the right course of action, even when it’s uncomfortable to do so, should give its stakeholders even more reason to continue to put their trust in the firm.”