Nardelli's Rocky Rise: From GE to Chrysler Bankruptcy

Bob Nardelli is an American business executive and investor with a net worth of $500 million. He's best known for his tenure as chairman and CEO of The Home Depot, which he left in January 2007 after six years. During that time, revenue nearly doubled from approximately $46 billion to $91 billion, and net income more than doubled.

However, Nardelli's leadership at Home Depot was also highly controversial. Critics argued that his aggressive cost controls damaged the company's customer service culture, while investors questioned why he received enormous pay packages despite stagnant stock prices.

Nardelli joined General Electric in 1971 as an entry-level manufacturing engineer and spent nearly three decades building his career there. He became one of three senior executives considered to succeed legendary GE chief Jack Welch but lost the succession contest in 2000. Nardelli was then recruited by Ken Langone to become Home Depot's next CEO.

After leaving Home Depot, Nardelli quickly returned to corporate leadership as chairman and CEO of Chrysler in August 2007. He took over just before the global financial crisis devastated the American auto industry, but his tenure at Chrysler ultimately ended with the company's bankruptcy in 2009.