Ferdinand Piëch: The Patriarch has gone too far – Times Online

The VW supervisory board has speculated and assigns: In the power struggle with CEO Winterkorn and Porsche clan Piëch lost the feeling for tactics.

Updates 25th April 2015 23:10 clock

Acts as chairman of the board of Volkswagen back: Ferdinand Piëch | © Boris Roessler / dpa

This time everything was surprisingly different. Ferdinand Piëch had a mirror -journalists the deciding set transmitted. “I am to distance Winterkorn”

If Piëch was at a distance, as now, to Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn was then far off in the rule of each other’s posts. Around the end of 2006 Bernd Pischetsrieder, had sacked the Piëch as head of VW. Or 2009 because Piëch dismantled in the struggle between VW and Porsche the former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking also with only a brief sentence. On the journalists whether Wiedeking possess his confidence, Piech said at the time: “At the moment yet – the ‘still’ You can swipe.” A few weeks later Wiedeking resigned

But this time it is Piëch, who admits defeat. The chairman of the board of Volkswagen AG has resigned from his position with immediate effect and leaves the body. He speculated themselves. This is surprising, but the Austrians was a crafty tactician who always seeks allies for his concern behind the scenes. The planned distancing from Winterkorn but he obviously had not even discussed in advance with its Board colleagues. After his previous successes when sawing of managers he felt comfortable too safe.

power center Piëch

Over the years was Piëch as the power center of Europe’s largest automobile company. But this time the rest of the control committee was united against the patriarch: council boss Bernd Osterloh, the major shareholders Lower Saxony; and even his own family, representatives of the Porsche clan. Also Winterkorn gave himself combative. After one week came the final slapped: The Bureau, the inner circle of the Supervisory Board was to announce Winterkorn was “the best of the CEO for Volkswagen”. Clear the counter was on “I’m at a distance” not fail

No wonder. Although the Volkswagen Group has problems. The profit margin is low compared to the industry; the core brand Volkswagen uses in North America from too few cars, the US plant in Tennessee is therefore underutilized; the premium brand Audi runs behind in innovation competition. But all in all, the balance sheet of Martin Winterkorn, early 2007 VW boss, let see. Under his leadership, the group sales profit nearly doubled, almost tripled. The output of winter grain in order to replace Toyota as world’s biggest carmaker this year could be achieved. Already in 2014, Volkswagen sold only slightly less than the Japanese.

A sentence like a guillotine

That’s why Piëch’s departure from Winterkorn two weeks ago was a complete surprise, probably for the other members of the Supervisory Board. Piëch’s cousin Wolfgang Porsche called the from the mirror sentence quoted a “private opinion” that are not coordinated with the family. . A sentence like a guillotine

Piëch step of Saturday is an amazingly simple disposal of a man who undeniably his services for the VW Group: Porsche initially, then 20 years in executive positions at Audi NSU , which later became Audi AG, from 1993 as CEO of the Volkswagen Group and finally as a powerful chairman of the board.

For Piëch’s most deserving belongs going to have the talent Martin Winterkorn recognized and promoted early. He took the Swabians in the early 1980s as Assistant to the Executive Board on quality Audi, patronized him, finally made it 2007 VW boss. The two were always as close confidants.

It was only superficially about Winterkorn

Just wondered why Piëch’s break with his foster son two weeks ago particularly. One had the impression that it is only superficially concerned Winterkorn, while in the background a battle was fought on the Supervisory Board – was conspicuous by Wolfgang Porsche’s clear words. Allegedly wanted Piëch end of his term as chairman of the board make his 19 years younger wife Ursula, who sits on the committee for three years, as his successor, what the Porsche apparently displeased. The atmosphere between the Piëch and Porsche is already strained, since Volkswagen has swallowed 2009 Porsche

This power struggle, including against his cousin Wolfgang Porsche, Ferdinand Piëch has lost -. Also because he stood stubbornly at the end and even after the crisis meeting of the Bureau and of the notification, the Bureau stand fully behind Winterkorn further behind the scenes at the detachment worked. Now it reached the other supervisory boards obvious.

The question of what will become of winter grain, but making it more open. The 67-year-old made his long hopes to inherit Piech as chairman of the board when its mandate expires in 2017. But with Piëch’s retreat already a new chairman of the board must now be sought. But Winterkorn’s contract as CEO officially runs until the end of 2016. Ursula Piëch will it not be, anyway. It is excreted along with her husband on the advisory board.