Implenia's controversial boss, Affentranger, retires – News Economics: Business



[ad_1]

The Implenia construction company has changed main post. The current CEO of Implenia, Anton Affentranger, resigns at the end of September. André Wyss will take over on October 1st.

Wyss, 51, was a member of the Novartis Executive Committee until the spring of 2018. As President of Novartis Operations, he led the production, central business services and the corporate affairs of the Basel-based pharmaceutical company, with nearly 40,000 employees worldwide. In parallel, he was president of Novartis Switzerland

Internal power struggle

M. Affentranger was chairman of Implenia's board of directors from 2006 to 2011, when he took office as managing director. Already in February 2016, he said that he would give up the job after about two years. This is why the board of directors began some time ago looking for a successor.

In early February, the chairman of the board of directors, Hans-Ulrich Meister, told the "Sonntagszeitung" that there was no news about a possible succession of monkeys, in a interview with The Sunday Newspaper, Affentranger said in February of this year why he had not resigned as announced, that he was now fully responsible at the helm of a period of international expansion demanding

. he would actually resign. The Afforders statement in February 2016 was preceded by a struggle for power. Before Christmas 2015, the board of directors had already decided after a protest from the management according to the "Sonntagszeitung" the dismissal of monkeys.

The latter resisted by mobilizing the largest shareholder of Implenia, Max Rössler, who tipped the board of directors. President Hubert Achermann has been replaced by Hans-Ulrich Meister, former banker of Credit Suisse, a former colleague of Monkey Rangers. Meister and Affentranger previously worked at UBS

Corporate Governance Issue

In 2016, experts said after the Rochaden topped Implenia a corporate governance problem in the group. In fact, the board of directors determines the members of the executive board – or dismisses them. The fact that Affentranger was able to defend itself successfully against the loss of power with the help of a major shareholder, then caused a nod.

"Obviously, Implenia is the strong man of the company, which should not be the case with a public company.The stock and stock market law is not expected that the boss selects its supervisors, "said commercial lawyer Peter V. Kunz at the time of the" Handelszeitung. "

" Climate of Fear "

Search for" Sonntagszeitung According to him, he also scolded in the upper management of the construction company. Earlier this year, several leaders complained that the boss's leadership style was "a climate of fear" and that the suffering was enormous. "I've never been treated so disrespectfully in my life," says a Kadermann

In the leading pack, three people had already resigned, including the computer chief. Another person is suffering from burnout. Broken executives had come out of a session with Affentranger, tears in their eyes, another source reported. For fear of layoffs or hardship, no one wanted to be quoted by name. Affentranger said allegations in the interview, he leads by motivation and not by pressure. "Those who work with me are attracted to conviction."

Foreign Strategy Developed

Nevertheless, there was also praise for the company: "The work would be fun if it had not been the boss" says one. Affentranger could also show his human side, even critics said.

Implenia 's statement of today states that Affentranger was a key figure in building the construction business. He developed the foreign strategy with a focus on Germany and Austria as well as the Scandinavian states. The takeovers would have supported this path: Sulzer Immobilien AG in 2009, Betonmast Anlegg in 2010, Bilfinger Construction in 2015 and Bilfinger Hochbau in 2017 were acquired.

Meanwhile, the last fiscal year of Implenia began with a softwood boot. In the first half, the company recorded a net loss of nearly 12 million francs. This was attributed to special events: in Norway, for example, the boss of Implenia Norge had disappeared during a hike, so that various projects had stagnated. The portfolio in Norway has been re-evaluated. In Switzerland, management has taken financial precautions because of a pending case at the Letzigrund stadium. Business resumed in the second half of the year and sales even increased compared to the previous year.

Wyss: to go on his own request

With Wyss, a director of the pharmaceutical industry comes to the head of the largest Swiss construction company. "André Wyss has extensive experience in business models and complex projects. At Novartis, he has also led major construction and infrastructure projects, "says Hans Ulrich Meister, President of Implenia. With Wyss, they found a high-level successor with international leadership experience, writes ZKB.

Wyss had already left Novartis at the end of March – at his request, as he pointed out on baz.ch/Newsnet. He justified his departure by the fact that his other career opportunities at Novartis are limited. "That's why I started thinking about my options two years ago," says Wyss. CEO work irritated him, he admitted

Case in Greece

Other theories about the departure of Wyss have gone around: Under the new Novartischef Vasant Narasimhan's pharmaceutical company should be digital – it was not the world of Wyss, said Kenner of the company in front of Basel's Basel. According to financial analysts and observers, previous positions could also be reasons for Wyss leaving. For example, Wyss was President and Chief Executive Officer of Novartis in Greece from September 2004 to December 2007.

Novartis allegedly paid bribes to officials and politicians in exchange for orders and higher prices of drugs in Greece. This is not proven, the case worries the judiciary and the Greek parliament has set up an investigation commission. "There is absolutely no connection," Wyss told Tagesanzeiger.ch/Newsnet about whether his departure has anything to do with this investigation. (Tages-Anzeiger)

created: 04.07.2018, 07:06

[ad_2]
Source link