Deutsche Telekom has quashed speculation that Mr Thomas Middelhoff, who left German media giant Bertelsmann last month, would take over as its chairman, the Frankfurter Allegemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper reported yesterday.
Citing sources close to Deutsche Telekom's supervisory board, the newspaper said the decision was the result of a meeting between German Finance Minister Mr Hans Eichel, the provisional head of Deutsche Telekom Mr Ernst Sihler and supervisory board chief Mr Hans-Dietrich Winkhaus. "We have not found a successor yet," the newspaper quoted a source as saying.
The German government controls 43 per cent of the telecommunications giant.
Deutsche Telekom appointed Mr Sihler, 72, as head of the company on July 17th for the next six months until a permanent replacement can be found for former chairman Mr Ron Sommer, who quit after months of intense pressure to take the blame for a disastrous share performance. After Mr Middelhoff's departure at Bertelsmann, media reports fed rumours that he might be in line to take the reins at Telekom.
