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Vienna International Community - Top Politicians - Latest Headlines
Read updated news about key politicians in Vienna's international community
Vienna Stock Exchange Calls for New Listings
Birgit Kuras, the new member of VSE´s management board aims to enhance the stock exchange´s importance and pushes for further privatizations.
March 27, 2012
EU Financial Framework Negotiations Enter the Hot Phase
State Secretary Wolfgang Waldner underlines Austria´s position as net contributor at the General Affairs Council in Brussels.
March 27, 2012
Keuschnigg: „Greece Must Leave Eurozone“
The Austrian Economist and designated director of HIS, Christian Keuschnigg advised Greece to leave the euro zone.
March 26, 2012
Koren to Become VBAG´s New CEO?
Finance Minister Maria Fekter aims to nominate the former Vice-CEO of Bawag as board director of VBAG.
March 24, 2012
Rothensteiner Against Bank Insolvencies
Raiffeisen Zentralbank´s CEO Walter Rothensteiner is against the discussion about bank insolvencies.
March 24, 2012
Bank Austria: Cernko Confirmed as CEO
Bank Austria’s Supervisory Board renews the term of office of Willibald Cernko and Rainer Hauser for another three years.
March 23, 2012
Conwert: Haselsteiner Wants Blocking Minority
The Austrian industrialist, who is CEO of Strabag Group, wants to reach at least a 25% stake at the real estate company. Petrus Advisers is said to exit.
March 23, 2012
RBI: Günther Gall Appointed Vice-Chairman of EPC
The Austrian national Günther Gall of Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) was elected vice president of the European Payments Council (EPC).
March 23, 2012
RBI: No Capital Increase
Christian Konrad, general attorney of the Raiffeisen sector, is against a capital increase at RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International). The 9.0% tier-1 quota will be reached without that measure, Konrad is convinced.
March 23, 2012
Hypo Alpe Adria Bank to be Sold this Year
The Austrian subsidiary of the nationalized Hypo Group Alpe Adria will be sold this year. “All potential risk factors are eliminated.” the supervisory board chairman says.
March 22, 2012
Banks have CEE-Subsidiaries „Under Control“
RBI´s CEO Herbert Stepic criticizes the skepticism against banking in Central and Eastern Europe. The economist Aiginger sees more advantages than risks for Austrian banks.
March 21, 2012
Nowotny: “Portugal in Much Better Shape Than Greece”
The Governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) and ECB Council Member Ewald Nowotny is optimistic on Portugal´s medium-term prospects. The country faces much less liquidity constraints than Greece.
March 21, 2012
Cernko Claims Bank Rescue Fund
Bank Austria´s CEO Willibald Cernko wants the bank tax to be solely used for a stability fund in order to support financially stricken banks.
March 20, 2012
Romanian President Again Critisized OMV´s Petrom
Romanian president Traian Basescu in television again emphasized that he cut ties with largest Romanian company OMV Petrom on ‘incorrect’, high profit-making policy.
March 20, 2012
Telekom Austria: Pecik Denies Sales Talks
The Austrian investor Ronny Pecik is said to have had sales talks with China Mobile. Pecik reaffirms to remain at Telekom Austria as “long-term investor”.
March 19, 2012
AUA: „Restructuring, Not Breaking Up“
Jaan Albrecht, CEO of Austrian Airlines wants to make the airline competitive again. A new foundation is “no issue”.
March 19, 2012
Bank Austria Plays Down Hungary Risks
The head of UniCredit unit Bank Austria's central and eastern Europe business played down potential risks from Hungary in a magazine interview published on Friday.
March 19, 2012
Microsoft Austria Defends First Rank at „Great Place to Work“
In 2012, the U.S. software company is again the best employer among companies beyond 250 employees.
March 17, 2012
Pecik Aims to Become Telekom´s Biggest Shareholder
The second-largest shareholder of Telekom Austria, the investor Ronny Pecik, wants to enlarge his stake further in order to initiate a restructuring.
March 17, 2012
Doubt About Austerity Package
Austria´s Finance Minister Fekter had to defend the government´s austerity package again. Experts are in doubt about the successful implementation.
March 15, 2012
Crystallizing Fronts in Austrian Banking Industry
For managers of the Austrian banking industry, the maximum salary increase for its employees is 3.3%. The trade unions call for a 3.8% increase.
March 14, 2012
Haselsteiner Buys 15% Stake in Conwert
Hans-Peter Haselsteiner, CEO of the Austrian construction company Strabag, buys a 15% stake in the Austrian real estate supplier Conwert. The seller is the London-based Petrus Advisers LLP.
March 14, 2012
Austria Wants More Leeway for Hungarian Budget
The Austrian Minister of Finance Maria Fekter criticizes the EU. Hungary is not treated equally, Fekter says.
March 13, 2012
CFO Peter Simma to Leave Wolford AG
Peter Simma, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Wolford AG, is leaving the company on his request.
March 13, 2012
Turkey as Growth Market for Siemens Austria
Siemens Austria ´s CEO Wolfgang Hesoun regards Turkey as most attractive growth market, as the economy is highly diversified and shows high economic growth rates.
March 12, 2012
New Executives for Telekom Austria
The new major shareholder at Telekom Austria, Ronny Pecik, installs a third management board member. The supervisory board will be enlarged.
March 12, 2012
KA Finanz: Disaster Was Avoidable
The „bad bank“ of the nationalized bank Kommunalkredit considered selling Greek sovereign bonds in spring 2009. Last week, KA Finanz wrote off € 423m.
March 12, 2012
Magna Plans 40 New Sites
The automotive component supplier intends to establish new sites in Eastern Europe and South America.
March 12, 2012
Nowotny: Capital Shortfall at Hypo Group „Substantially Less Than € 10bn”
The governor of the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) repulses reports stating that the nationalized bank Hypo Group needs capital injections of € 10bn.
March 10, 2012
Wirtschaftsbund: Leitl Re-Elected
Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, has been re-elected as chairman of Wirtschaftsbund. 92.7% of the delegates voted for Leitl.
March 10, 2012
Ghizzoni: „Austrian Bank Tax Is Painful“
The Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit, the holding company of Bank Austria emphasizes not to sell the Austrian subsidiary. The bank tax is “unfair”.
March 10, 2012
„The Public Sector Does not Get Enough“
Klaus Pöttinger, President of Upper Austria´s IV takes Switzerland as model. Taxes would be too high, efficiency of the public sector is too low, he says.
March 9, 2012
Emirates Tries to Lure AUA´s Pilots Away
As uncertainty among Austrian Airline´s workforce is rising, the marketing officer at Emirates, Thierry Antinory, wants to attract AUA´s aircrew.
March 9, 2012
Leitl: „Austerity Package Is Not Enough“
For Christoph Leitl, the President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), the recently resolved austerity package does not contain the essential reforms.
March 9, 2012
Orange Takeover: Hutchison is Optimistic
The Hong Kong-based telecommunication company Hutchison 3 is sure that the takeover of Orange will be approved by the competition authorities. The competitor T-Mobile is not convinced at all.
March 9, 2012
Cernko Criticizes VBAG Bail-Out
Willibald Cernko, CEO of Bank Austria considers that the Austrian state reacted too late. A partly nationalization could have taken place already one year before.
March 9, 2012
Pecik Unwanted at AMAG
A major shareholding in Austrian AMAG will be sold. Ronny Pecik, who is said to be interested, is not welcome.
March 7, 2012
RHI Has Growth Plans
The Austrian producer of fireproof ceramics puts effort into growth. Major investments and acquisitions are planned.
March 7, 2012
Bank Taxes: Nowotny Supports Government
OeNB´s governor Ewald Nowotny defends the coalition plans to raise bank taxes by 25%.
March 7, 2012
Tax Treaty: Conflict with EU
The EU rejects Austrian tax treaty plans with Switzerland. Austria insists on the bilateral agreement.
March 7, 2012
Public Debt Agency: “Unnecessary to Change Bonds Issuance Plans”
Austria sees no need to change its debt issuance program and is sticking to its plan to stay below the European Union’s deficit ceiling this year even as it injects cash into Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG (VBPS) and KA Finanz.
March 6, 2012
Uniqa: Changes in Supervisory Board
RZB´s supervisory board chairman Christan Konrad will leave Uniqa. RZB´s CeO Walter Rothensteiner succeeds Konrad.
March 6, 2012
Fekter: "Eurogroup Chief Must Be Head of Government"
Austria’s Finance Minister Maria Fekter said the next leader of the group of euro-area finance ministers has to be a head of his or her government in order to have the necessary authority.
March 6, 2012
Again Criticism on Austerity Package: „Lack in Sustainability“
The President of the Viennese Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), Georg Kapsch, misses details of the austerity package. The package is not ambitious enough, Kapsch considers.
March 5, 2012
Beyrer Aims For Strategic Investor at Telekom Austria
The head of the state holding ÖIAG and Telekom Austria´s supervisory board believes that Ronny Pecik will not remain as shareholder. A strategic partner is desired.
March 5, 2012
Eder: „Environmental Policy Endangers Economy“
Voestalpine´s CEO criticizes environmental specifications made by EU and domestic politics. Eder sees the danger of a de-industrialization.
March 5, 2012
Austerity Package: Sorger Misses Reforms
The President of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), Veit Sorger, sees a massive lack in structural reforms. The austerity package is a “missed opportunity”.
March 3, 2012
Fekter: Up to € 1.0bn for Kommunalkredit
In case of a default of Greek sovereign bonds, the Austrian state would have to grant € 1.0bn to the nationalized bank Kommunalkredit.
March 3, 2012
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