Wenderlin Wiedeking
Speculation is again raging about the fate of German vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen following reports that luxury carmaker Porsche plans to boost its holding in the company beyond 50pc. English-language reports do not capture the entire flavour of the German ones
According to the Telegraph
The speculation comes after Porsche, controlled by Ferdinand Piech, also chairman of VW’s supervisory board, said in July that it was not “as yet” considering increasing its Volkswagen holding. But it has been steadily increasing its ownership of the group in recent years, raising its holding from 27.3pc last March in its most recently publicised share acquisition. That move meant Porsche, topping the 30pc threshold, was forced under German law to make a takeover bid for Volkswagen.
But the company intentionally priced its offer at the lowest allowable level – the same €100.92 (£68.36) price it paid by exercising options to by the 3.7pc stake – and predictably received a take up “considerably less than 1pc of VW’s shares”.
Porsche is only required to again publicise the extent of its stake in Volkswagen if it crosses the 50pc mark.
The Rumors all cited an article from Der Spiegel that had not yet been published – I believe this is what the postmodernists liked to call a simulacrum, a replica of an original that did not exist.
The reports replicated themselves and anticipated an article that did not (yet) exist.
The unclear situation
The article when it appeared reads slightly differently to the English versions (and the computer ‘translation’ into English is far from clear).
The comprehensive accounts of the VW company by Der Spiegel are brilliant, but unfortunately only appear in English translation some time later.
At present, the publication’s German-language reports hint only at a potential battle between Wenderlin Wiedeking at Porsche and the powerful Union and its leader, Bernd Osterloh,
the Work Council boss, if Porsche attempts to change existing agreements at VW.
Wiedeking, as head of Porsche, is given far more prominence than than he is in the English Language reports.
AS long ago as february, The State of Lower Saxony (strongly directed by Christian Wulff) had abandoned the so-called Volkswagen law preventing loss of state control, and permitting Porsche to acquire shares to just-below the triggering 30% stake.
The future role of Ferdinand Piech remains also unclear. the charismatic and powerful Piech had headed VW until 2002, and remains in an advisory role. Piech
owns a significant share of Porsche, roughly 13%. In order to prevent discussions among the many family members, a policy was established in early 1972 that no Porsche family member is allowed to be involved in the management of the company.
A waiting game
Porsche seems to be playing a waiting game. VW is relatively powerless. Like Caesar of old, Wiedeking can wait until precisely the moment to strike.
[Someone correctly pointed out to me how confusing this last point is. I meant to say like Caesar the Military leader, not Caesar the Shakespearean victim.]
Posted by Tudor Rickards 
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