Re: [Leica] Herr Cohn, new Leica CEO. was A way of photographing and autofocus.

[LEICAMAN56@aol.com]

Herr Cohn's last job was as CEO of a German furniture manufacturer.  He was 
with this company for 14 years.  Before that, he was with several high tech 
firms.  Apparently, he did quite well with the furniture company, helping it 
achieve world wide success.  He is definitely not a bean counter.
His mission is to make Leica a profitable company again.
He is shaking up things quite a bit at Leica.  A number of people will be 
laid off.  Several board members have been sacked.  According to reports here 
on the LUG by Bill Erfurth, the price of Leica's stock has doubled.  
Stockholders should be happy!
At the last PMA, I had the opportunity to meet him and discuss Leica's new 
direction with him briefly.  He gave me the impression that he is sincere and 
a fast learner.  He did not indicate to me how he plans to make the company 
successful and ensure its survival.  At that time (mid-February) he was very 
much in a learning mode about Leica as a camera and company.  It is my 
understanding that he is stressing accountability and a certain impatience 
with the old way of doing things.  I do hope he retains some of the "old 
ways" of Leica and Leitz, because the old ways weren't all wrong!  I do feel 
he understands how important the traditional M camera is to the past and 
future of the company.  I stressed to him my feelings that Leica cannot 
become a "me too" camera manufacturer.  If they lose what is special about 
Leica, that indefinable "Leicaness," then they are lost and will lose their 
reason for being.
I wish him well and I hope he is on the right track.

Bill Rosauer