Slip victory for winter grain – Piëch has his will – THE WORLD

The Volkswagen machinery also works on Friday, the day of anticipated showdown in the power struggle of the Management Board and Supervisory Board Chairman, on as if nothing had happened. At 10.03 clock, the Group reported undaunted the latest delivery figures, 2.49 million vehicles in the first quarter. It’s as if all would not wait in the company on the message itself: the decision of the Supervisory Bureau on the future of Martin Winterkorn. Who had the night before, yet naturally looked at the football game against Wolfsburg Naples and thus their defeat. Almost provocative course.

Who Volkswagen comes back from a crisis summit with the six most powerful men in Salzburg, a top round, in the debate over their own destiny, and then still go to the stadium, which can not be played. The must have the upper hand and allowed to remain at his post. So it turned out. Martin Winterkorn not only remains CEO of Volkswagen AG – he remains there even over the 2016 addition. This looks like a sensation. Ferdinand Piëch, the Omnipotent in the company, the chairman of the board, major shareholder and Porsche’s grandson, had gone to public Winterkorn at a distance. And now this is even longer. But what seems like a triumph, victory is an illusion in reality. In the long run Piëch prevails. To prevent Winterkorn as CEO was never his real goal.

To 11.41 clock, the press office of Volkswagen announced the Bureau’s decision after the meeting on Thursday evening. It consists of only three sentences, but there it depends on every word on each formulation. And everything has to be matched with each participant. The Porsche and Piëch families, the group works, IG Metall, the state of Lower Saxony. This takes. The communication is that the Bureau of the Supervisory realize Winterkorn was “the best of the CEO for Volkswagen”. The Bureau put “great importance to Professor Dr. Winterkorn his capacity as Chairman of the Board will continue to actively and successfully pursued as before.” Those in power in the Group determines that Winterkorn it had the full support of the Panel

And finally comes the kicker:. “The Bureau will propose to the Supervisory now to extend the contract of Martin Winterkorn in the February board meeting of 2016. ” “Wilko”, as they call him in the group, so not only remains, he even goes into another round, after he himself had still not fixed. Tone and content of this announcement are at first glance actually a bitter defeat for Ferdinand Piëch. He will not have on his 78th birthday today so fun. That he was called back to the opponent so clear position against him, there has never been. In particular, the Porsches, it will be good to have demonstrated the overwhelming Piëch at least once. They have never forgotten him swirling in the takeover battle for Porsche under the former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking and defeat associated

Without a doubt. The sound the release is harsh, Piëch has lost his face. This will annoy the VW patriarch. But probably not properly and not too long. He thinks nothing of point victories, and public opinion, it does not matter anyway. And his main goal, he will end up still achieve. In two or three years will prove that he is at the end of the big winners. Because Ferdinand Piëch has indeed said that he was at a distance to Winterkorn – but he never made its suitability as CEO in question. What Piëch but apparently did last stop in any case, was that Winterkorn follows him in 2017 as head of the supervisory board. He trusts this job Winterkorn probably not. And if the CEO gets now as announced extended his contract after 2016, it can not be more chief inspector. Piëch so had to go detours, he has accepted a loss of face. But he has prevailed in the end – as always. Martin Winterkorn is currently 67 years old and anything but official tired. He has continued to stand what it takes and the force at the tip of VW. Also on the 2016 addition. Of course, he could go to the top of the Supervisory Board after a contract extension as head of VW. Would he hang two years as is likely, he would be 71 years old. He would apply in many companies as advanced in years, but not at Volkswagen. As I said, Piëch goes up to 80. Only: Winterkorn would change early 2017 to the post of Supervisory bosses, then that Piëch wants to resign, which he himself has announced. Winterkorn but is still CEO – when all still stand by their promises made on Thursday and Friday. It sounded almost ostentatiously through in the statement that his contract will be extended as VW boss. That is, there must be a solution other than Winterkorn for the presidency of the supervisory body forth. And that Piëch wanted from the beginning. Who will follow him, but he can still open. And there is a second reason for not too much to look forward to for winter grain. Piëch has had to suffer a defeat in the attack on Winterkorn only at the first attempt. Who says that he now stops going on feeding the CEO? We remember: It was in March 2006 when Piëch the former VW chief Wolfgang Pischetsrieder withdrew confidence. The defended himself – but nine months later he was forced to cede

Also auto experts want to believe not quite a complete victory winter grain.. “Dismantle him overnight would anyone utilized. Piëch has made to show that changes need to be introduced,” says Ferdinand Dudenhöffer. “Winterkorn remains fragile. This is a sedative for the group. But if his contract next year is really signed, is open.” Piëch proceed systematically. Therefore, no one who has to do with him should say too fast, the lost, so Dudenhöffer. “We are sure in the coming months to see further action by him to initiate the change at the head of VW.” The words Duden Höffers not surprise, the car had an expert in the current discussion quickly predicts the end of winter grain. But on the other hand speaks know that yet ready no real successor to the CEO transition. But other experts do not see Winterkorn as the clear winner. “Winterkorn first gained – this is a surprise Like the fact that Piëch has to back off.” Says industry expert Stefan Bratzel. “But there is a certain stigma that they do not continue is obviously behind Winterkorn This is still a burden for Winterkorn, he is shot The question is more who follows Piëch the Supervisory Board Chairman -.. Which must now discuss.”