Louis Gallois, CEO of Airbus parent European Aeronautic, Defence and Space (EADS), wants the free the company from politics and says investors should be free to buy and sell their shares as they wish rather than be bound to keeping a cross-border balance among shareholders. EADS is jointly owned by the French and German states, however as Germany recently purchased 7.5% from Daimler, the CEO deems the state to be taken too much of an involvement with the company.
For the long term, I have proposed to the board of directors a solution that would assure the protection of company and assure French-German equality by other means than the shareholders pact,” Gallois said this week. “This would have the merit of equality, and shareholders could buy or sell shares as they pleased.”
French publishing company Lagardere owns 7.5%, the French state holds 15%, German bank KfW will own 7.5% from next year, with Daimler retaining 7.5%, a further 7.5% is held by German regional states and a group of banks.
The complex shareholder environment means the company is not an attractive purchase for shareholders, which has supressed earnings, says analysts.
EADS CEO calls for greater shareholder freedom
