The countdown for the Staatsholdig ÖBAG is running

The application deadline is August 17th, and the international headhunter was accepted as a personnel consultant Boyden (Andreas Landgrebe). Zehnder and Spencer Stuart were eliminated because they were said to be too expensive.

A lot can already be seen from the tender about ÖBAG’s new, active role.

The holding company will continue to be managed by a sole board member. The economics minister responsible for ÖBAG Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) has apparently not given in to the SPÖ’s persistent desire to have its own, second manager promoted to the top management level. “A dual board would be the epitome of party repoliticization,” says Hattmannsdorfer when asked by KURIER.

After the former business lawyer Hlawati only managed the state investments, a candidate with “industry-related management experience” is now being sought. What is now required is “strong strategic thinking and action”, a “high level of communication skills at an international level”, in-depth experience in dealing with complex stakeholder structures as well as capital market and supervisory board experience. Of course, he or she should be Austrian; an international career changer is difficult to imagine.

The job will be challenging. Hattmannsdorfer, who has a good relationship with Hlawati, emphasizes that he has never interfered in party politics, but as the republic’s responsible owner representative he has very clear strategic ideas: “It is important to ensure the locational political orientation of ÖBAG and its investments.”

The focal points can be found in the call for tenders, which are based on the government’s industrial strategy. Cost-efficient energy supply, the expansion of critical infrastructure and the strengthening of resilience and economic sovereignty, for example in data (telecom).

Hattmannsdorfer has high hopes for the new OMV boss, a gas expert Emma Delaney. OMV could position itself as a leading gas supplier in continental Europe. Similar to the Black Sea Neptun Deep project, currently the largest gas production project in Europe, OMV could explore further large gas deposits in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. And thus reduce dependencies.

ÖBAG should also act internationally as a door opener for the domestic economy, promote the development of start-ups and promote scientific cooperation. The holding companies are present in 38 countries.

“The sought-after leader should implement active investment management as well as initiatives for targeted future investments to strengthen the business location on the basis of the government’s industrial strategy and the ÖBAG strategy,” outlines ÖBAG supervisory board chairman Günther Ofner. The candidate “ideally” has industry experience and should, above all, be able to deal with complex stakeholder structures. That means he has to be able to deal with politics and interest groups and not act like a bull in a china shop. The job of the ÖBAG boss always had a political component.

Gage

The question still arises about the salary of the new CEO. It can be assumed that in austerity times like these it will be a little less than for Hlawati. The lawyer was able to look forward to a proud fixed salary (including material and social expenses) of almost 595,500 euros in 2025, plus 147,000 euros in variable components for achieving the goal in 2024.

names

Although a number of names have been circulating for some time, there are still no valid candidates. The oft-mentioned Verbund boss Michael Strugl In any case, ÖBAG’s ambitions are credibly denied to the KURIER. The long-standing general secretary of the industrial association, Christoph Neumayeris also said to have already declined.

1.577 billion dividend

ÖBAG paid out to the finance minister for 2025, which flowed into the budget. That is 310 million more than in 2024. Since 2019, ÖBAG has delivered 8.534 billion to the federal government from its companies.

ÖBAG (Österr. Beteiligungs AG) manages the Republic’s investments in 9 companies: Post, Verbund, OMV, EuroTelesites, A1 Telekom, Bundesimmobilien BIG, Casinos Austria, APK Pensionskasse, GKB. The portfolio value fell and stood at 30 billion at the end of 2025.