Vienna International Community - Other Top Players - Latest Headlines

Read updated news about other key people in Vienna's international community

VBAG´s Executive Board Asked to Resign

Parts of the Volksbanken sector, which hold stakes in VBAG, offer resistance to the management board.

March 3, 2012

Fiscal Treaty: Austrian Economy Satisfied, Opposition Criticizes

After the signing of the EU fiscal treaty at the EU Summit today, reactions in Austria are very different. The largest opposition party FPÖ calls for a popular vote.

March 2, 2012

Austrian Economy Appreciates Serbian Approach to EU

Serbia officially became candidate for the EU-access. Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of the “European perspective” for Serbia.

March 2, 2012

Austerity Package Threatens to Fail

The strict timeline of the Austrian austerity package could cause its preliminary failure. Federal President Fischer says not to have enough time to control the act.

March 2, 2012

Board Member Bierwirth Leaves AUA

Andreas Bierwirth, member auf Austrian Airline´s management board, will exit. It is supposed that the austerity package caused controversies within AUA´s management.

March 2, 2012

Nowotny: „Austrian Banking Activities in CEE Better than their Reputation”

According to the governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), Ewald Nowotny, Austrian banks engaged in Central and Eastern Europe are more stable than they are supposed to be.

March 1, 2012

Banking Industry As „Cash Cow“?

For RZB´s CEO Rothensteiner, the increase in bank tax is “not fair”. The government plans to raise bank taxes by 25%.

February 29, 2012

„Banks are the Real Austrian Problem“

The Austrian opposition criticizes the rescue of VBAG by the government massively. Further bank aids are feared.

February 28, 2012

New Criticism on Austerity Package

For the chief economist at RZB, Peter Brezinschek, the austerity package is not ambitious enough. The President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Christoph Leitl, criticizes the introduction of new taxes.

February 28, 2012

Polytec Aims For Expanding in Asia

Friedrich Huemer, CEO of the Austrian automotive supplier, wants to start investments in China and India.

February 27, 2012

OeNB´s Nowotny Says Regaining AAA Credit Rating Can Take Years

European Central Bank Governing Council member Ewald Nowotny said history has shown that it can take years for a country to win back an AAA rating.

February 25, 2012

Austria Discussing Top Banks’ Capital Rules With EU Commission

Austria’s regulators are discussing rules for its top banks that will curb excessive lending in Central and Eastern Europe with the European Commission.

February 25, 2012

EIB: Fewer Funds for Austrian Companies

After a record in 2011, the European Investment Bank (EIB) will reduce lending to Austrian companies this year.

February 24, 2012

Sawiris Aims to Stay in Telekom Austria

The Egyptian investor Naguib Sawiris, the partner of the Austrian investor Ronny Pecik, wants to maintain his engagement in Telekom Austria.

February 24, 2012

Pecik is Said to Enter AMAG

The Austrian investor, who holds a 20% stake in Telekom Austria, seems to be interested in the Austrian aluminum producer AMAG

February 23, 2012

Telekom Austria Extends Contract with CFO

Hans Tschuden, Chief Financial Officer at Telekom Austria will remain until 2015 at least.

February 22, 2012

Expansion of the Board of ATB

The Management Board of ATB Austria Antriebstechnik AG was enlarged: the British national Ian Lomax becomes Chief Operating Officer.

February 21, 2012

Fekter: „Austerity Package is Structural Reform Package“

In spite of criticism by economists, for the Austrian Minister of Finance, the austerity package is a “big success”.

February 20, 2012

Stepic Criticizes Rating Agencies Sharply

For Herbert Stepic, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), statements given by the U.S. rating agencies are “undifferentiated”.

February 20, 2012

Telekom Austria Faces Severe Image Difficulties

Many details over bribery payments from Telekom Austria to politically exposed persons were revealed. Now, the company sues its former executives.

February 18, 2012

Voestalpine Amends Expansion Plans

The Austrian steel producer intends to use its technologic leadership in the automotive component business for further expansion steps.

February 18, 2012

German Justice Puts Pressure on Former Hypo Group Executives

In order to get damage compensation, the German justice opens legal proceedings against the former CEO´s of Austrian Hypo Group, Tilo Berlin and Wolfgang Kulterer.

February 18, 2012

„Bank Austria´s Brand Will Remain“

Last year, it was said that Bank Austria´s brand will be abandoned. According to Helmut Bernkopf, board member at UniCredit, Bank Austria´s private banking business will be strengthened.

February 18, 2012

Retirement Plan: „Austria is Negative Example“

The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) argues that Austria would be a negative example for the sustainability of the retirement plan. Early retirements should be limited, IV claims.

February 17, 2012

Cernko Against „Talking Down Austrian Banks“

Bank Austria´s CEO is strictly against an undifferentiated view on CEE-countries. Austrian banks with an exposure in the CEE region shall not be talked down.

February 17, 2012

Siegfried Wolf Enters Sberbank

The Austrian national and executive at Magna in Russia becomes President of VBI´s supervisory board.

February 16, 2012

Cernko: „Triple A Only in the Medium Term“

Bank Austria´s CEO Willibald Cernko does not think that Austria re-gains its “AAA” status within the next three years.

February 16, 2012

Leitl Pushes for Reforms

The President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce appreciates that actions worsening the Austrian business location conditions were prevented.

February 15, 2012

Vienna Airport to Cut Personnel Costs

The Vienna International Airport aims for reducing personnel costs at the new terminal “Skylink”.

February 15, 2012

„Financial Transaction Tax Could Cause Recession“

According to the CEO of Vienna Stock Exchange, Michael Buhl, a financial transaction tax would cost productivity at enterprises.

February 14, 2012

Rasinger: „Telekom Austria Needs New Executives“

The spokesman of Austrian retail investors, Wilhelm Rasinger, wants to change Telekom Austria´s management, which are “untroubled”.

February 14, 2012

Moody's Put Austria on Warning

The Austrian “AAA” rating has been confirmed by the U.S. rating agency. However, credit-watch is put on “negative”.

February 14, 2012

Kapsch to Succeed Sorger

The Viennese industrialist Georg Kapsch (52) is said to succeed Veit Sorger (69) as President of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV).

February 13, 2012

Substantial Growth for ING DiBa

The Dutch Bank Group achieved a 12% growth in customers in Austria. Deposits were up by 9.5%.

February 13, 2012

Doubt and Criticism on Austerity Package

For the director of IHS, the austerity measures do not contain real reforms. The implementation could become difficult. Administration reforms and health system reforms are too low, observers say.

February 13, 2012

Bank Austria Writes Off Greek Bonds

The Austrian subsidiary of the Italian UniCredit Group has to write off Greek sovereign bonds by € 100m.

February 13, 2012

Austerity Package Has Lack in Structural Reforms

The industrialists regard the Austrian austerity package even-tempered. WIFO misses structural reforms.

February 11, 2012

Austrian Government Presents € 27bn Austerity Package

The largest austerity package in Austria´s history mainly consists of cuts in expenditures. The government emphasized the socially balanced measures and the necessity due to reasons of competitiveness.

February 11, 2012

AUA to be Re-Sold?

Rumors on Austrian Airlines do not end. A sale by Lufhansa is discussed, even the insolvency is not excluded.

February 9, 2012

Oettinger Expects Succesful Contracts Over Gas Deliveries

The EU-Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger, anticipates that Azerbaijan will close contracts over natural gas deliveries within the coming months.

February 8, 2012

CEO of PlusCity Increases Engagement in Croatian Westgate

Ernst Kirchmayr, CEO of the Upper-Austrian shopping center has raised his stake in the Zagreb-based shopping center “Westgate”.

February 8, 2012

Keuschnigg to Succeed Felderer

Christian Keuschnigg will succeed Bernhard Felderer as director of the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies (IHS) in June.

February 8, 2012

CA Immo Brings an Action Against Grasser

The former Minister of Finance, Karl-Heinz Grasser, faces a lawsuit by the Austrian real estate company. CA Immo claims € 200m.

February 7, 2012

Leitl Pushes Investments in Colombia

For Christoph Leitl, the President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Colombia is the entry to South America for European companies.

February 7, 2012

Zielpunkt Gets New Owner

MBO at the Austrian supermarket chain: CEO Jan Satek takes over the company and wants to focus on local supply.

February 7, 2012

OMV: New Executive Board Member for Gas and Power Segment

Hans-Peter Floren to succeed Executive Board Member Werner Auli . Supervisory Board Chairman Markus Beyrer is “delighted with the highly qualified appointment”.

February 6, 2012

Emirates: Antinori Wants AUA´s Staff to Switch

The head of marketing at Emirates, Thierry Antinori, wants dissatisfied employees at AUA to change to Emirates.

February 6, 2012

Intercell Plans to Achieve Turnaround in 2014

The Vienna-listed pharmaceutical company Intercell expects to return to the profit zone in 2014.

February 6, 2012

Government: Dispute Over Pensions

The Austrian government parties SPÖ and ÖVP disagree over contributions by retirees. The austerity package is far from being resolved.

February 6, 2012

Mitterlehner: „Shortages in Russian Gas Supply Not Dangerous“

For The Austrian Minister of Economics, Reinhold Mitterlehner, the sudden cut in Russian natural gas supply is “no dangerous scenario”.

February 6, 2012