The Australian published an interesting article about “adrenaline junkie CEOs” and whether or not they have an obligation to disclose their “dangerous” hobbies to shareholders. Many of the company executives mentioned in the article like to mountain bike (and rock climb, heli-ski, drive race cars, etc.) which may have some shareholders worried about the future of their investments should something go wrong on the trail.
The adventure-seeking CEO certainly isn’t a new breed – Richard Branson (Virgin) immediately comes to mind – and it’s not surprising people in demanding positions need to blow off steam every now and then. Heck, even the POTUS, George W. Bush, liked to mountain bike whenever he had the chance and I don’t recall anyone worrying about whether he should be putting himself at risk.
The old cliche of executives teeing up for a round of golf at the end of the day could be on the decline as more and more business folks discover the camaraderie, excitement, and health benefits of mountain biking. Of course any outdoor activity has risks associated with it and if anyone knows how to balance risk and reward, it’s a successful CEO. So keep honing your MTB skills and one day you may end up in the executive suite!
