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Redefining Work Life
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| Fudge Image courtesy Business Week |
When Ann Fudge (MBA 1977) found that her career was overtaking her life, she decided to take a sabbatical. Not the most unusual of decisions, except that her job happened to be running a $5 billion division of Kraft Foods. “Like a number of her peers, she simply wanted to define herself by more than her professional status and financial rewards,” reported Business Week (March 29, 2004) in its cover story on Fudge’s departure from — and return to — the workforce.
After two years during which Fudge did some nonprofit work, read, practiced yoga, served on several corporate boards, and traveled, WPP’s Sir Martin Sorrell (MBA ’68) came calling, tempting Fudge with an offer to run Young & Rubicam, the struggling communications concern he’d acquired in 2000. Fudge, intrigued, was ready to take on a new challenge.
The opportunity to go back to work after taking a break bucks the conventional wisdom to kiss one’s career goodbye after time off. As for the idea that one can’t work as hard after a break, former Tropicana CEO Ellen Marram (MBA ’70) told Business Week, “The thought that you can’t take two years off and come back to work intensely is ridiculous.”
Ten months into it, Fudge remains grounded, unfazed by the scrutiny, criticism, and praise she’s received in her new role. “I really love doing things differently from the norm,” she said simply.
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