Hard work by the committees

The Executive Committee met nine times during the year under review. The agenda focused primarily on Board of Management and Supervisory Board business, the development of a new remuneration system for the Board of Management and the appointment/reappointment of Board of Management members.

The Personnel Committee met twice, dealing mainly with human resources matters related to Strategy 2015 and the status of training and professional development within the Group.

The Finance and Audit Committee met eight times, with meetings chaired by Prof. Dr Ralf Krüger until 21 April and by Hero Brahms from 22 April. Hero Brahms is a financial expert on the Bilanzrechtsmodernisierungsgesetz (German act to modernise accounting law). At its February meeting, the committee examined the annual and consolidated financial statements for 2008 and reviewed the updated planning for financial year 2009. It discussed the interim reports and addressed the review of the interim financial report for the first half of the year. The auditors attended the committee’s financial statements meeting and the meeting to discuss the interim financial report for the first half of the year.

The committee held regular discussions on the Group’s business performance, particularly in view of the overall economic situation, the insolvency of Arcandor, the restructuring of the US express business and the downward trend on the mail market. It also occupied itself with the internal control system, especially internal auditing and compliance management in the Group. The committee approved the Audit Plan 2010 and also agreed that pension risk was being properly managed. Accounting and risk monitoring as well as co-operation with the auditors were also discussed in detail. Following the AGM, the Finance and Audit Committee hired the auditors to perform an audit of the annual and consolidated financial statements and to review the interim financial report for the first half of the year. The focal points of the audit were also determined.

The Nomination Committee met once in 2009 to recommend a successor to Prof. Dr Ralf Krüger to the Supervisory Board.

The Mediation Committee, which must be formed pursuant to Section 27 (3) of the Mitbestimmungsgesetz (German co-determination act), met twice in 2009 to discuss Board of Management matters.

The chairs of the committees reported on the committees’ deliberations in the subsequent plenary meetings.