VW patriarch Ferdinand Piëch moves away from CEO: “I am at a distance … – tagesspiegel

04/11/2015 00:00 clock

surprise at Volkswagen: supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piëch provoked speculation about Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn , Is the trust relationship between the two engineers still intact?

VW patriarch Ferdinand Piëch moves away from CEO Martin Winterkorn. “I am to distance Winterkorn,” quoted on Friday of “mirror” the VW supervisory board chairman. The 77-year-old scattered so doubt whether Winterkorn can inherit in the management team in the Supervisory him after his term. Until now, it was assumed that Winterkorn, whose contract runs until the end of 2016, even after one or two years at the helm of the Group remains before it flakes Piech as chairman of the board.

Supervisory circuits and in politics there were unsympathetic reactions to Piëch’s utterances.

Prime Minister of Lower Stephan Weil (SPD) was “unpleasantly surprised” his spokeswoman said. Lower Saxony is the second largest shareholder in Volkswagen.

“The whole is rational not to explain,” said a board member. Piëch’s arbitrary actions and antics would increasingly becoming a problem. Perhaps the 77-year-old is influenced by his wife Ursula, who also sits on the Board. That Piëch has provided the wife as the successor to the Supervisory tip, he denied. “I strive to get to the top of the Supervisory Board and the Management Board the right ones and are not family members, this is not my wife,” quoted him the “mirror”.

The two engineers Piëch and Winterkorn has been accused of a trusting relationship. Therefore, Piëch’s remarks also a surprise. VW experts forecast that Piëch’s remarks Winterkorn likely to significantly weaken position in the group. This raises the question of whether the 67-year-old actually extended his contract again. According to the “mirror” increase unto the Supervisory Board criticism of the VW Boss, leads the Group since 2007.

So throw Piëch’s brother Hans Michel, who also sits on the VW board, before Winterkorn omissions. Among the criticisms is thus worth that Winterkorn had not been for the problems in the US business in the handle and the main VW brand faltered in profitability. The CEO had launched an austerity program last summer to help VW in the return on the jumps. Until 2017, five billion euro be saved. Third problem area is that VW for years been discussed about getting into the cheap segment, but so far no decision is taken.

Piëch has been made in the past few times by statements in the media personnel policy. Eight years ago, when he as the former VW chief Bernd Pischetsrieder anzählte. At that time, with the backing of workers in the Bank Supervisory Board.

In the case of Winterkorn it looks different, IG Metall and the works appreciate the CEO. Accordingly, because council boss Bernd Osterloh also said on Friday. “We have a clear position on nothing has changed: We have with Dr. Winterkorn most successful automotive manager on board,” Osterloh, who also sits on the board said.

“Together with him we have written an unprecedented success since 2007.” Osterloh further emphasized: If it were up to the council, Winterkorn’s contract beyond 2016 will be extended. “Questions have also not yet, because Dr. Piëch is Chairman and we appreciate the combination of two strong personalities at the helm.” (alf / rtr / AP)