Man in the storm: Vikram Pandit

November 24, 2008 | By Jim Kim

All eyes on Wall Street are on Vikram Pandit right now, and that has got to be uncomfortable--especially considering he has traditionally avoided the spotlight, he eschews the flashy Wall Street culture and he analyzes best when he's alone with spreadsheets, according to a Financial Times profile. The debate about whether he is the right man for the job has been raging for a while. Many have suggested that his low-key leadership style has been an obstacle, but the truth is that his tenure will come down to a strategy beyond cost cutting and asset write downs. There just has to be something else, and so far it has not been communicated to the market. When Pandit left Morgan Stanley, having been passed over for the top job, he left with little fanfare, no parties and no farewells. His departure from Citi, if it comes to that, will be more noisy. The board has, so far, given no indication that it will replace Pandit.

For more:
- here's the profile