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King Henry, CEO (audiobook)

A CEO tries to stop the scheming in his company, leading to the downfall of his reign.

Henry is a powerful boss, but his employees are fighting to gain control over having the most influential position in the company. Henry fires the first executive just by hearsay, when Wolsey starts a smear campaign against his perceived competitor. The CEO seems clueless to Wolsey's scheming and goes with it.

But things get a bit more complicated when he tries to get rid of his long-time alley and partner. The man (Casper, the equivalent of Catherine in Shakespeare's play) has a temper and embarrasses Henry in front of the board and in the media. Henry wavers about getting rid of his long-time friend, but Wolsey reaffirms the CEO's doubts and Casper is chased out. Henry has decided that it's time to bring new blood into the firm and prefers to bring the reckless Allen to replace his former, loyal partner. When Casper kills himself Henry is relieved, but troubled by nightmares.

Wolsey, believing that he is at the top of his power, realizes that the people he bred are turning against him. As a consequence of more scheming he too cannot escape Henry's wrath. His retirement turns out to be a bliss for the broken, frail man - he can find peace.

Henry finds himself alone at the top, beleaguered by greedy people lacking any moral fibre. He saves another loyal man from condemnation of the other executives, but it is too late. All the energy lost in intrigues leads to the inevitable downfall of the company - and the former powerful CEO becomes the executioner of his own lifelong dream.

The story departs from Shakespeare's Henry VIII by depicting the ruin of the company and extending the story line in showing Henry's transformation from the pragmatical to the man-eating, brutal executive he never intended to be.




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