Dual management and supervisory structure
As a German public limited company, Deutsche Post operates a dual management system. The Board of Management is responsible for the management of the company, and is appointed, overseen and advised by the Supervisory Board. Following the departure of Board members Dr Hans-Dieter Petram and Prof. Dr Wulf von Schimmelmann as at 30 June 2007, Jürgen Gerdes and Dr Wolfgang Klein were appointed as their successors with effect from 1 July 2007. Prof. Dr Edgar Ernst resigned from the Board of Management as at 30 September 2007. On 18 February 2008, Dr Klaus Zumwinkel resigned from office. The Supervisory Board accepted his resignation and, on the same day, unanimously appointed Dr Frank Appel as new chairman of the Board of Management.
The duties of individual members have been reallocated to reflect these changes: The MAIL board department has been sub-divided into MAIL and PARCEL Germany, headed by Jürgen Gerdes, and MAIL International, under the management of Dr Frank Appel. John Allan, previously in charge of the LOGISTICS Division, is now responsible for Global Business Services (focusing on cross-divisional functions) and Finance as of 1 October 2007. Dr Frank Appel has also been responsible for the LOGISTICS Division and Corporate Regulation Management since the same date. Moreover, on 18 February 2008, Dr Frank Appel assumed responsibility for the chairman’s board department in addition to his previous duties.
The Supervisory Board comprises twenty members. Ten shareholder representatives are elected by the AGM, whilst a further ten are elected by the workforce in accordance with the provisions of the Mitbestimmungsgesetz (German co-determination act). Information about additional mandates held by Board of Management and Supervisory Board members in the supervisory bodies of other companies can be found by clicking the appriate links. The Supervisory Board’s report on its activities in financial year 2007.
At the AGM on 8 May 2007, Ingrid Matthäus-Maier was elected to the Supervisory Board for a five-year term on an individual basis, following the retirement from office of Dr Hubertus von Grünberg as at 27 July 2007. Prof. Dr Wulf von Schimmelmann was appointed to the Supervisory Board by court order on 6 August 2007. His election will feature on the agenda at this year’s AGM. Rolf Büttner also retired from office with effect from the end of the AGM on 8 May 2007. Andrea Kocsis was appointed as his successor by court order on 29 May 2007. On 31 December 2007, Helmut Jurke and Franz Schierer stepped down as members of the Supervisory Board. At the same time, Helmut Jurke also retired from his roles as deputy chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee and member of the Executive Committee. By court order of 18 February 2008, Rolf Bauermeister and Wolfgang Abel were appointed to the Supervisory Board as employee representatives. The fact that the majority of its Supervisory Board members are independent means that Deutsche Post AG complies with the corresponding recommendation in the Code.
Five committees formed
The Supervisory Board has formed a total of five committees. In addition to the Mediation Committee required by the Mitbestimmungsgesetz, these include the Executive Committee, the Finance and Audit Committee, the Personnel Committee and, new for 2007, the Nomination Committee, as per the Code’s recommendation. The composition of these committees may be found under committees. The Supervisory Board’s report on the committees’ activities in the year under review is published in the Supervisory Board's report.
