Newsletter: People On The Move: Hollein, Hunt, Baturina, Schramböck, Von Hoensbroech, Plater, Löger & Co.

Max Hollein Appointed New Director of the Metropolitan Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York announced that Max Hollein will become its 10th director and thus becomes cultural ambassador for New York. Vienna-born Hollein, 48 years old, is an art historian who has been serving as Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco since 2016. Before that, he oversaw Schirn Kunsthalle, Städel Museum and the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung in Frankfurt. The Met is the largest art museum in the United States. With more than 7 million visitors in 2016, it is the second most visited art museum in the world.

Former US Ambassador to Austria Swanee Hunt Back in Vienna: Can Women Stop War?

Activist, philanthropist, billionaire's daughter, Democrat, Harvard lecturer and former US Ambassador to Austria Swannee Hunt returns to Vienna to be interviewed at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip) on the subject of "Can Women Stop War?

Austria's Vice-Chancellor Also Wants Headscarf Ban for Students

An extension is now under discussion since yesterday. Heinz-Christian Strache requested a comprehensive ban on headscarves in a TV appearance analogous to Turkey, as it had applied there until before the AKP. Until now it was decided that children under the age of ten should not wear headscarves. The government wanted to propose a law by summer for which it needs the votes of the opposition. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who made the appearance together with Strache, agreed with Strache that he is completely on the same line.

Russia's Yelena Baturina Divests Grand Tirolia Hotel for €45 Mln

The billionaire and wife of Yury Luzhkov, the former Moscow mayor, is selling her Kitzbühel 5-star hotel for 45 million euros to an investor. Rumour has it that the investor is looking for an international operator.

Minister of Economy Visited Huawei and Alibaba During State Visit to China

Federal Minister of Digitization and Business Location Margarete Schramböck signed an agreement to facilitate access to Chinese trading platforms for Austrian companies during the current state visit to China at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFCOM) in Beijing. Global experience shows, however, that one should be cautious with regard to technical cooperation with Chinese and copyright issues.

Casinos Austria International Will Not Be Sold

Casinos Austria AG (CASAG) stops the sale of Casinos Austria International (CAI).

Asylum Law: Duration of Proceedings at Austrian Supreme Courts Decreases

The duration of proceedings in asylum cases at the two Austrian Supreme Courts, Constitutional Court of Austria (VfGH) and Supreme Administrative Court of Austria (VwGH), is continuously decreasing.

New Double Taxation Agreement Between Israel and Austria

After almost 50 years, a new double taxation agreement (DTA) for income and capital taxes was signed between Israel and Austria, which includes substantial tax relief.

Opening of the Austrian Consulate General in Chengdu

Austria has set up a consulate general in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, with President Alexander Van der Bellen, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl attending the opening ceremony during their state visit to China. Van der Bellen also expressed his wish for a new male panda bear.

Austria's Capital Market for SMEs on the Brink of a Renaissance

Finance Minister Hartwig Löger plans to revive the Austrian capital market for SMEs by making trading of bearer shares of Austrian companies on the Third Market possible again.

Austrian Airlines: Alexis von Hoensbroech Succeeds Kay Kratky as CEO

Alexis von Hoensbroech is to become the new Chairman of the Executive Board of Austrian Airlines. The current AUA CEO Kay Kratky, whose contract ends in July, is leaving the company.

C-Quadrat: Yearly Financial Report 2017

C-Quadrat Investment AG is declaring the following financial reports below.

Telekom Austria Prepares Expansion in the Western Balkans

Telekom Austria is strategically strengthening its search for takeover targets and has made EUR 1 billion available in the war chest. CEO Alejandro Plater has announced his intention to expand again in the Western Balkans (Serbia, Croatia and other countries of former Yugoslavia).

Opel-PSA Group Plans Job Cuts in Vienna

By summer, 140 employees are to leave the Opel plant in Aspern. A further reduction could be avoided thanks to a new transmission order from Opel parent Groupe PSA. Engines will be produced for the previous Opel owner General Motors (GM) until 2019/20. What comes after that is still uncertain.

Telekom Austria AG: Yearly Financial Report 2017

Telekom Austria AG is declaring the following financial reports below.

OMV Buys Oilfield Shares in Abu Dhabi for USD 1.5 Bln

Listed oil corporation OMV is acquiring 20 percent of two offshore oil fields in Abu Dhabi from the Abu Dhabi oil group ADNOC. The purchase price for the concession and the associated infrastructure amounts to USD 1.5 billion. OMV has already a long relationship with Abu Dhabi. OMV opened a representation office in Abu Dhabi in 2007. Today Abu Dhabi is the location of the Business Hub for OMV´s Upstream Middle East & Africa activities.

Fire Brigade Equipment Supplier Rosenbauer: Profit Halved in 2017

Despite a record order intake, the profit of the Upper Austrian firefighting equipment supplier Rosenbauer halved in the 2017 financial year. This was partly due to a slump in demand in the Middle East and North Africa, but also to the recently reported irregularities at a German subsidiary, which led to a write-down of EUR 3.5 million.