John Francis Welch, Jr., renonwed as Jack Welch in the business world, was chairman and CEO of General Electric. He began his career as a junior chemical engineer at the plastic division of the firm.Though he was not happy during his initial years at the company, he eventually began to enjoy his work and became the vice president and head of GE's plastics division within a few years. He succeeded Reginald H. Jones and became GE's youngest chairman and CEO in 1981. Under his leadership, GE increased its market share manifold. Jack Welch redefined the concept of leadership and created a model for others to follow. His brilliant leadership skills prompted him to write books on the very subject. Some of his books also became international bestsellers. Welch also had his share of controversies, especially at the time of his much publicized divorce from his second wife.
