President, GE Asia-Pacific, Hong Kong. 3M Listen online to McNerney's news conference held December 5, 2000. But analysts say that for 3M to grow, it must change the way it does business. McNerney says he agrees, but took pains that it's not his intention to transform this company and its culture. The onus is on me to become part of this rather than to come here with some big-fix plan, nothing could be farther from the truth.
Nothing needs fixing.
McNerney will be the first outsider chosen to lead 3M in all of its 98-year history. CEOs usually rise from within, after being steeped in the corporation's culture and philosophy. That 3M looked looked outside its ranks to a veteran from General Electric veteran means company insiders are pushing 3M to become nimbler and quicker to action. Whatever they decide to do, they do it very quickly. So if he's able to bring some of those characteristics and add it to the 3M culture of innovation and development of new products, that's a very good mix.