New HRG Structure – Europe Central Management get the boot

Hogg Robinson decided to give up the Region Europe Central by end of this year and to consolidate all countries under one European management team.

This has a strong impact on the Swiss organisation managed by Beat Bürer who led Europe Central with some central functions out of Zurich.

HRG Europe Central Management is History

This re-organisation will make a number of functions to become redundant. HRG lays off the complete management – with one exception – in Switzerland.

This includes Beat Bürer Head Switzerland & HRG Europe Central, Andreas Stehrenberger Head Sales & Account Management, Pierre-Yves Lecué Head Finance, Purchasing Lead Bernard Eggen as well the IT Heads Nic Pedersen and Stefan Huber. It looks like Sales, Marketing and Legal are impacted too. While Beat Bürer and Bernie Eggen possibly will enjoy an early retirement, the other impacted Managers will certainly look for new job opportunities. It will be interesting to see where those people will show up next.

Ralf Dörig takes over

The only one surviving the cut is Ralf Dörig who will remain at HRG and will officially lead HRG Switzerland as a Director as of 1st January 2015. His main duties will certainly include to keep a forceful team together and to build a close relationship and collaboration with his new bosses in the UK. This is a challenge and we wish him all the best.

Is this about cost cutting or maybe more?

Also in other European markets changes can be expected. We have no confirmed declarations but hear through the grapevine that about 130 jobs are impacted. Is this a Europe wide cost cutting exercise? Or is HRG trying to make itself attractive for a takeover?

 

David Radcliffe, CEO Hogg Robinson has bought a small package of shares this week and therefore the second option is definitely a possible one. For quite some time people speculate about a consolidation in the TMC world. Now, after the AMEX Joint Venture and the SAP-Concur Deal, are we looking at a next spectacular takeover? The shareholder structure with DNATA and the Family Van Vlissingen suggests that a get together with BCD is a possible scenario.

Interesting times, stay tuned for more.

Adrian Matt for travelBrain

Image Source: Limmattaler Zeitung