Deutsche Telekom is restructuring the Group Board of Management: The four divisions T-Com , T-Mobile , T-Systems and T-Online will be more directly represented on the Group Board of Management in future. The Supervisory Board approved a proposal to this effect by the new Chairman of the Board of Management, Kai-Uwe Ricke, on Thursday. The objective is to integrate the divisions directly into the Group Board of Management. The number of members of the Board of Management is also being reduced.
"The new structure of the Board of Management gives the divisions greater responsibility and decision-making authority, while increasing their direct involvement in the Group's objectives. We are closely aligning the company with the requirements of the market. We have to expand our operational strengths appropriately and reduce the Group's debt considerably", said Chairman Kai-Uwe Ricke.
Dr. Karl-Gerhard Eick is to become Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management. Besides Controlling, Corporate Finance, Investor Relations and Billing Services, he will in future also be responsible for Procurement, M&A, Legal Affairs and Affiliates Management. Dr. Heinz Klinkhammer will continue as the Board Member for Human Resources and will also be responsible for personnel strategy and the Human Resources Services Agency. He will also take over responsibility for Group Organisation and Environmental Affairs.
As Chairman of the Board of Management T-Com , Josef Brauner will continue to represent the interests of the fixed network on the Group Board of Management and will, for the time being, also be responsible for T-Systems . Christian A. Hufnagl remains Chairman of the Board of Management of T-Systems .
René Obermann becomes the new Member of the Board of Management for T-Mobile . Mr. Obermann had previously been Head of European Operations at T-Mobile . He will take over full responsibility for mobile communications business on the Group Board of Management and will also become Chairman of the Board of Management of T-Mobile . The Chairman of the Board of Management of T-Online, Thomas Holtrop, will also join the Group Board of Management.
The units Group Strategy and Development, Management Staff, Regulatory Affairs, Group Auditing, Press and Public Relations and Brand Management will in future be under the direct responsibility of the Chairman of the Group Board of Management.
Jeffrey Hedberg, responsible for international business, will leave the Group Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom at the end of the year. Hedberg contributed to positioning Deutsche Telekom internationally, particularly in the mobile field and in Eastern Europe. He will become head of Deutsche Telekom USA and will take over the function of Vice Chairman of T-Mobile USA.
Dr. Max Hirschberger, who was the Board Member responsible for Corporate Affairs, which included legal, strategy, revision, and organisation, will leave the company. Hirschberger, who has a doctorate in law, has significantly shaped the strategic orientation of Deutsche Telekom in recent years. This particularly includes the development of the four pillar strategy, as well as shaping the company's portfolio of subsidiaries, associated and related companies.
Provisions will be made in the 2002 financial statements for the fulfilment of contractual obligations amounting to around 25 million Euro for the restructuring of the Group Board of Management. This is for the four members of the Group Board of Management who left this year, including Dr. Ron Sommer.
Kai-Uwe Ricke thanked the leaving members of the Board of Management for their commitment and for making a major contribution to the further development of the Deutsche Telekom Group during an eventful period.
Ricke again emphasized the significance of the new organisation. With the restructuring of the Group Board of Management we have signalled a new beginning for the company - among others being closer aligned to the markets and having more responsibility for the divisions.
New business responsibilities of the Deutsche Telekom Group Board of Management:
Chairman of the Board of Management
Group Strategy and Development
Management Staff
-Press and Public Relations
- Brand Management
- Regulatory Affairs
- Group Auditing
Member of the Board of Management, T-Com
- T-Com
- Fixed network
Member of the Board of Management, T-Mobile
- T-Mobile
- Mobile communications network
Member of the Board of Management, T-Online
- T-Online
Member of the Board of Management, T-Systems
- T-Systems
Member of the Board of Management, Finance
- Controlling
- Treasury and International Financing
- M&A and Corporate Finance
- Financial Statements and Accounting and Taxes
- Investor Relations
- Legal Affairs with Affiliates Management
- Procurement
- Billing
Member of the Board of Management,
Human Resources
- Human Resources Management
- Human Resources Development
- Group Organisation
- Human Resources Services Agency
- Labour Director
- Shared Services
- Environmental Affairs