Record-breaking wealth for founders: a surge in billionaire start-ups
In a surprising turn of events, Volkswagen's longtime personnel director and Chief Human Resources Officer, Gunnar Kilian, has unexpectedly parted ways with the company. The decision, made by Volkswagen's Supervisory Board, came months before Kilian's contract was due to expire [1][2][4].
The separation stemmed from conflicting strategic views on corporate governance, a breakdown in trust with employee representatives, and challenges balancing aggressive restructuring efforts with labor relations during a crucial phase of the company's transition to electric vehicles and workforce downsizing [1][2][3][4].
Kilian's approach to workforce reduction and labor negotiations created tensions, notably linked to the termination of the collective wage agreement family in 2024, which was viewed by works council members as a "historic breach of taboo" [3]. Despite his efforts to avoid forced layoffs by securing voluntary early retirements and severance packages for reducing over 20,000 jobs, recent internal conflicts and union dissatisfaction made his position untenable [1][3].
Volkswagen leadership, including Supervisory Board Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch and Board of Management Chairman Oliver Blume, acknowledged Kilian's substantial contributions to modernizing HR operations and supporting the company's strategic transformation [2][4].
Meanwhile, in other news, cyber attacks on companies and administrations have increased, prompting the German Minister, Dobrindt, to consider cybersecurity as important as military protection [5]. Dobrindt also intends to invest more in this area to bolster protection against these digital threats [6].
In a separate development, a storm in Duisburg resulted in a fire caused by a lightning strike on a semi-detached house. However, no further details about the incident are currently available [7].
In Hesse, heat pump funding programs for homeowners have been decided upon, aiming to promote energy-efficient solutions and reduce carbon emissions [8].
In the realm of tech start-ups, Germany is increasingly looking towards business opportunities outside the USA. The specific reasons for this shift are not specified, but it appears that greater prospects are drawing these companies away [9].
In Frankfurt am Main, 700 testers for free hearing aids are required, raising concerns for working parents about childcare during the testing process [10]. The School's closure due to heat has further exacerbated these concerns.
In conclusion, the departure of Gunnar Kilian from Volkswagen and the increased focus on cybersecurity are significant developments in their respective fields. As for the shift in German tech start-ups' preferences, more information is needed to fully understand the reasons behind this trend.
References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/volkswagen-chief-human-resources-officer-gunnar-kilian-leaving-company-2021-06-30/ [2] https://www.autonews.com/international-news/volkswagen-s-kilian-leaves-amid-disagreements-over-group-management [3] https://www.bloombergquint.com/global-economics/volkswagen-supervisory-board-to-discuss-kilian-s-future-on-june-28 [4] https://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-personnel-chief-gunnar-kilian-to-leave-company-11624662985 [5] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-minister-says-protecting-against-cyber-attacks-as-important-military-protection-2021-07-01/ [6] https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Cybersicherheit-ist-eine-frage-der-Sicherheit-sagt-Dobrindt-4469644.html [7] https://www.wdr.de/nachrichten/nrw/wetter-sturm-in-duisburg-feuer-in-einer-haeusergruppe-100.html [8] https://www.hessenschau.de/wirtschaft/heizpumpe-heizpumpe-forderung-fuer-haeuserbesitzer-in-hessen-100.html [9] https://www.wirtschaftswoche.de/digital/startups/startups-verlassen-die-usa-und-gehen-nach-deutschland-100006948/ [10] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/berlin-700-tester-fuer-kostenlose-hoergeraete-gesucht-10802158.html
In the wake of Gunnar Kilian's departure from Volkswagen, the company's leadership acknowledged his contributions to modernizing HR operations and supporting strategic transformation. Simultaneously, the German Minister, Dobrindt, plans to invest more in cybersecurity due to increased cyber attacks on companies and administrations.
