Goyder

Bloomberg News Richard Goyder, chief executive officer of Wesfarmers The effects of the disaster still linger with the threat of rising reinsurance prices and food inflation.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

As managing director of coal mines-to-supermarkets conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd., Mr. Goyder is as keenly focused on the strength of commodity prices as he is on the effect of rising energy costs on consumer spending habits.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: We lost someone in one of our businesses the other day to a large company and they've offered to pay him twice as much as we're paying so there's nothing you can do about that and we can't afford to double our salaries so we won't.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder spoke with Cynthia Koons about how he's managing the business through these and other challenges.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: We still want to see more improvement in the consistency, and part of that will be through the store refurbishment program we're going through.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: I think it's something to keep a real eye on, it's an area where business and government and educators have to work pretty closely to make sure we've got the pipeline of talent being developed that we'll need.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: Reinsurers will continue to offer policies into Australia and New Zealand.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: It's something we're acutely conscious of at the Curragh mine in Queensland.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: One of our customers in Japan has had one of its steel mills impacted.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011

Mr. Goyder: We're reasonably agnostic about what we invest in, as long as we think we can make a return to our shareholders.

Staying Focused Amid Difficult Times Cynthia Koons 2011