Two women will be joining the Deutsche Telekom Board of Management. One day after receiving approval from the Supervisory Board, René Obermann introduced Claudia Nemat and Marion Schick. "Both colleagues had my full support in the last weeks and months," said the DT CEO at the press conference in Berlin.
Claudia Nemat will take over the Europe Board area in October. Marion Schick will succeed Thomas Sattelberger as Chief Human Resources Officer in May 2012. Obermann pointed out that Ms. Nemat "has already overseen a number of projects for DT and has several years of experience in the IT and telecommunications sector. She is an extremely skilled and competent colleague for the Board. We have known each other for years and, this October, we will begin a new phase of cooperation," said the CEO.
Ms. Schick is an "excellent successor for Thomas Sattelberger ," Obermann said, emphasizing that Sattelberger was involved in the selection process: "Ms. Schick is therefore also his candidate." She has spent her career concentrating on the topics that will shape the future of Deutsche Telekom . "She focused on Human Resources Development and that is also what DT is focusing on: We want to continue transforming and reorganizing the Group," said Obermann. This move will ensure a smooth transition in the office of the Chief Human Resources Officer. Employee interests come first Schick believes that Sattelberger's work in the Human Resources area has put DT in "an excellent position". "I am therefore convinced that I will get off to a good start." The 52-year-old was the Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs in the German state of Baden Württemberg and, prior to that position, was the Board member for HR and Law at the Frauenhofer Gesellschaft . She took the opportunity of the press conference in Berlin to address employees for the first time. She emphasized that employee interests come first for her. When asked about discussions pertaining to Schick prior to the Supervisory Board's meeting, Obermann said "In my opinion, these questions focused more on the selection process rather than on her as a candidate." Schick said that she will work hard to gain the "full and complete trust of employee representatives." Nemat highlighted the significance of the Europe operating unit for the Group’s overall strategy: "This is a task involving a lot of responsibility that I am going to take on with all the energy I have." The numerous projects she has overseen have provided her with in-depth knowledge of the company. The 42-year-old is a qualified physicist and comes to DT from management consulting firm McKinsey. There, she is currently head of the Technology sector for Europe, Middle East and Africa. 'I feel more like a pioneer' Obermann sees the addition of two women to the Board as being more than just symbolic. "Ignoring women, such a vast pool of potential candidates for both expert and management positions is almost a crime." When confronted with the notion of maybe being a token woman and only having won the position because of the company's women's quota, Nemat replied: "As a physicist and long-time senior partner at McKinsey I do not feel like a token women." Schick added: "I think the term 'token woman' belongs in the past. In positions like these, you feel more like a pioneer."