Subject: termination of David Merrill
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 03:15:00 -0800 (PST)

This is the subject on which you and I have exchanged calls/e-mails.  It will 
likely come as a great shock to David, so I want your thoughts/input on how 
to handle.  For example, getting this type of news by phone would be tough.  
Do I need to go to Singapore, or does HR have someone in Singapore who can 
deliver the message directly/face-to-face.  The reasons for termination are 
as follows:

1  out of his depth on technical side of EBS;

2  Has been found to be deficient in some meetings in which he has 
participated with commercial team, e.g., has begun to explain, or interrupted 
explanations of others, and then been unable to complete explanation 
(probably due to weaknesses in item 1, above), but, in any event, makes for 
less than wholly satisfacotry meeting from commercial perspective (per Bill 
White, EBS Asia bandwidth trader);

3  Has been found sorely wanting in terms of being a good team player, taking 
credit for work of others, being patronising, and too easily asking for 
assistance from others (including me) when he could do his own research 
(especially after I have given him a pretty clear steer on where to do the 
research);

4  Has not really ever understood the Enron business model (market making; 
assets not for assets sake, but to serve the trading platform).

The positive:  good work ethic, good written communications.  I found him 
pleasant, but I do not discount that when dealing with peers/subordinates, he 
did suffer the behavioural deficiencies noted in point 3 above.

My thoughts are that we provide him sufficient advance notice, and pay, so 
that he is not left in a far away and expensive place, without income (though 
he is a retired foreign service officer, so he will ot be suffering 
hardship).  I need your guidance on this.  He is almost certainly over 40 
(though I do not make his age my business), so I will also look to you to 
make sure that this is appropriately handled for someone in a "protected 
class", as I would appreciate the employment laws.  I think we need to commit 
to move him back to the USA at our cost, though if he gets new employment in 
singapore, or an employer who is willing to pay for his move, we should not 
be on the hook (though if our paying to move him back to the USA helps him 
get a job, then that should not be an issue or impediment).

I hope that this is enough to get you started, and that I have been clear.  I 
look forward to hearing from you on Monday.   thanks  mcs