Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, acquired a further 4.89 per cent of the Volkswagen ordinary shares on Tuesday, 16 September. As a result, the total stake in the Wolfsburg-based car manufacturer now amounts to 35.14 per cent of the voting rights. This step ensures that Porsche has a lasting majority at the VW annual general meeting.
Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche, said: "Our goal continues to be to increase our stake in Volkswagen to more than 50 per cent. Today's step is a further milestone along this road." He added: "We look forward to continuing and intensifying our cooperation with the Managing Board of Volkswagen, which is based on a spirit of mutual trust, and are hoping for a quick resolution of the conflict between the employee representatives of Porsche and VW."
By going above 35 per cent of the voting rights, Porsche will acquire de facto control of the Wolfsburg-based group. As a result, employee representatives of Volkswagen will now take seats in the Works Council of Porsche SE and the Supervisory Board of Porsche SE. The Works Council of Porsche SE will be informed about the increase of the stake and will be asked to reconstitute itself. Dr. Wiedeking was confident that the co-operation between the employee representatives of Porsche and Volkswagen in both bodies - Works Council and Supervisory Board - would help them develop a better understanding of each other's positions and would lead to a constructive and forward-looking co-existence.