Ex-Swisscom CEO Jens Alder has drawn a lot of criticism. Because the 61-Year-old is not only the current group is Alpiq the Board of Directors, President and operating chief in a personal Union with a part-time mandate. Now he wants to be President of the troubled steel giant Schmolz + Bickenbach. Corporate-Governance experts are appalled. Now Alder, the criticism.

you have, in spite of the dual mandate at Alpiq, an 80-percent workload. What do you do on your day off in the week?
It is true that I was at Alpiq no full-time job. This is because I next to the President is not the CEO of am, but a delegate of the Board of Directors. Such a solution works if you have a very good Management. The Alpiq.

Is not the CEO the same as a delegate of the Board of Directors?
no, that’s not it, because a delegate has no contract of employment. Legally, I’m on the Board of Directors. A CEO has a contract of employment and is thus incorporated into the bonus system; I’m not.

you Mean, you can’t fire them at all?
But, which is even simple. I’m elected for one year and have no notice period.

Why Alpiq can have on a CEO?
dual mandates are neither in Switzerland nor in Anglo-Saxon countries, unusual. At Alpiq, the Board of Directors came to the conclusion that the dual mandate is for a limited time, the best solution. This is due to the fact that we have sold in the past year, our industry business. This led to the fact that we have sold 80 percent of our employees. This is a traumatic incision. In this Phase of the consolidation, the Board of Directors stability wanted to.

Sounds like you need to the Alpiq-people comfort. What are you doing specifically?
In the current segment that remains after the separation from the industrial business, the strategy is unchanged. And I mitformuliert. There is now a need to implement the consequences of the separation of the industrial business structurally and financially. In the longer term we need after this stabilization period, a new CEO, we will then formulate a new strategy.

you do not have to incorporate a new force?
This is a question of timing. If the Board comes to the conclusion that the stabilization phase is finished, immediately initiated the recruitment of a new CEO. But currently we are in the process to diversify the production of electricity, the trading business also we want to set up wider. In addition, the regulatory environment is in flux. These things are completed, it makes sense to pick the new CEO.

The dual mandate to keep a maximum of five years. How long you want to remain President?
I never said that I’m going to make five years in both Jobs, I’ve always said that I take the task at Alpiq safe for a year, true, but certainly not five years. As long as I remain President, on the other hand, also by the General Assembly, you must choose me every year.

And how long will you stand for election?
I am 61, the statutory retirement age is 65, and according to the statutes, I may be up to 70 the Board of Directors. As long as I’m running, I don’t know yet.

in addition to Alpiq you want to be now President at Schmolz + Bickenbach. This is not simply too much?
no, it’s not. Otherwise I would not have asked me.

the Chairman of the Board of a publicly listed billion group amazed only a 20-percent workload.
The approach is too theoretical. I am since years a professional Board of Directors. My Job is to lead several mandates, as long as I can afford for the company a contribution. For this reason, I wanted to at Alpiq is also not an exclusive mandate. I have agreed with the Alpiq Board of Directors from the beginning that I may accept another mandate at a listed company. Now I have the opportunity to do so.

How you came to Schmolz + Bickenbach?
I was approached by a Headhunter.

investors such as Blackrock will not accept, however, that a CEO is also the Chairman in the case of any other listed company.
If the Board of Directors of Schmolz + Bickenbach nominated me, I’m going to assume that all such issues have been previously resolved.

Fear them because the debate is no reputational damage for yourself?
Oh, you know, about me, so much has been written. I am clearly of the opinion that one should not depend too much to the public opinion. It is primarily about the two companies and their success. And for that, I will fight with all our strength.

What are your priorities for Schmolz + Bickenbach?
I can say nothing, I’m so far the only candidate.

they Had already been in contact with major shareholder Viktor Vekselberg?
no, not yet.

Alpiq intends to sell major shareholder EDF its share package. How do you make sure that Alpiq is not destabilized?
I stand with my advice. I’m there but have no illusions, every shareholder wants to pursue their own goals.

you could try to find a buyer for the EDF package.
I could do That, but it is not my task. This is the task of the shareholders.

at the same time you argue with Bouygues over the price of the sold industrial business. There is a Chance for a comparison?
We agree that we disagree, therefore, we are dragged before a court of arbitration.

you could some out of court?
As I said, we do not agree. There’s nothing more at the Moment to say.

(Sunday newspaper)

Created: 16.03.2019, 21:25 PM