Leblouche's diary

7. Elections (2)

"I think you've already heard the news. I just want to reassure you that this only concerns the management. Please focus on your work and nothing more," declared our boss, Mr. Baume.

"We will possibly have a transition ceremony later this week. We will communicate any new information to you," added Ms. Joqueret.

Since yesterday, the CEO has retired after 20 years of service. I didn't know him very well, but apparently it's thanks to him that Ectogen managed to increase its revenues after the crisis it faced a few years ago.

After that, another candidate—much younger and chosen through an internal election—took over, and many things changed, especially the company's policies. Of course, it didn't affect my workspace; I'm still in the same department. It was the main topic of conversation with my colleague Antoine and me when we talked about it at lunch.

"So, what do you think of the new CEO?" Antoine asked me while stirring his coffee with a skeptical look.

"For now?" I replied. "I mostly think this coffee machine should also retire after twenty years of service."

Antoine chuckled.

"No, but seriously. Apparently he's very young."

"Oh really?"

"Thirty-five."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Thirty-five? At that age I'd probably be having an existential crisis."

"Well, he's now running one of the biggest tech companies in the country."

I took a sip of coffee. I regretted it immediately.

"So he's young—and above all ambitious..." I continued.

At the table next to us, two colleagues were already talking about the new executive as if they had known him for years. One claimed he would modernize the entire company, while the other insisted he planned to restructure several departments. Rumors were spreading faster than official information.

I wondered how long it would take before these abstract changes became concrete.

When we returned to our desks, I had barely sat down in front of my computer when a notification appeared on the screen.

"Internal message – Executive management."

Antoine leaned over the cubicle wall.

"You got it too?"

"Yes..." I replied as I opened the message.

The new CEO announced a series of meetings with every department over the coming days in order to present his reforms.

"Well... I guess the changes are starting sooner than expected," I thought.

After a long day of work, I returned home with the day's events still on my mind, greeting as always Mr. Piqueron and Mrs. Piqueron, who had given me a blueberry pie as a welcome gift when I moved into the neighborhood—which was very kind of her.

"Ectogen's boss, Ferdinand De Verges, has retired and leaves the company in the hands of his successor elected by the board, Carlos Dorrant. However, this decision has drawn criticism, mainly from some employees because of his young age," said the presenter on the 8 p.m. news.

"Well... I didn't know that would make the headlines," I said, surprised.

After eating the pie Mrs. Piqueron had given me and spending a little time on my phone, I decided to enjoy another reading session of my notebook.

Dear Diary,

After a calm week filled with small bits of madness*, the famous Election Friday—which arrived much sooner than I would have liked—took place today.