X is an impressive, slightly scary CEO. You will have heard of him. Y is a smartish, youngish man who works for his company. You won’t have heard of him, unless you work there too — in which case the very sound of his name will have you grinding your teeth.
When Y was hired about three years ago, X took to him at once, decided he was a man of extraordinary talent and in no time at all, Y was given a big department to run. Because Y has neither the experience nor the personality for the job, he is screwing it up.
Various senior colleagues have protested, but they have been silenced. The CEO cannot and will not see that his protégé is a dog. He is too smitten.