Signa has to leave its posh headquarters in the city center. Employees of Prime Selection AG were insulted by neo-board member Erhard Grossnigg before Christmas – they were told to forfeit 20 percent of their salaries.
Erhard Grossnigg, 77, insulted numerous employees of the financially ailing Benko Group in the last week before Christmas: the new board of Signa Prime Selection AG, which brings together the most important inner-city properties of the non-transparent corporate structure, is not He is only cutting back on the workforce. He also insists on a 20 percent wage exemption for company cars. In addition, working from home is only allowed one day a week. “And yet we are still expected to continue working day and night with full dedication – as we have done for the past six months,” says an employee who wishes to remain anonymous. “The mood is depressed. In negative territory. There is a lack of perspective.”
Proximity to Haselsteiner and Gusenbauer
Parts of the workforce are also irritated by Grossnigg’s proximity to once-millionaire Signa consultant Alfred Gusenbauer, 63, and to Signa investor Hans Peter Haselsteiner, 79. Former Strabag boss Haselsteiner even has an office in Grossnigg’s office space at the Walfischgasse in Vienna. As does former Raiffeisen Attorney General Christian Konrad, 80.
It is widely expected that the financial juggler’s former flagship Signa Prime could also fall victim to the bankruptcy domino. Like the bankrupt Signa Holding, a larger part of Signa Prime’s Austrian workforce has offices in the noble Palais Harrach in central Vienna. This property is owned by Amisola AG, which in turn is part of the group of companies of the late Billa founder Karl Wlaschek. Rental costs: 425,115 euros per year. According to the curator, this lease will now be terminated. This means: Signa employees will have to move in the coming months. What’s more: the partly luxurious interior of Benko’s centuries-old headquarters is being auctioned.
Comfortable seats
Beautiful pieces from René Benko’s Viennese office, which have been specially examined by an expert, will probably also go under the hammer. According to the expert, who took a closer look at the inventory between December 5 and 12, the financial juggler treated himself to, among other things, “a high-quality desk combination” with a stone base and a solid wood table top. (dimensions: 3.8 x 1.1 meters), two high-quality sideboards with Nero Marquina natural stone top and minibar. What particularly catches the eye are two designer conference chairs from POLTRONA FRAU, made of leather, with armrests, model: “Chancellor Visitor”. The piece has a new price of approximately 3,600 euros.
Was this the seat in the Benko Reich for executive visits by the two former chancellors Alfred Gusenbauer, 63, and Sebastian Kurz, 37, who, as is known, were allowed to pay millions in fees for work at the real estate speculator group? of companies? Did Mr. Benko enjoy using the third chair from POLTRONA FRAU, the executive chair model ‘Chancellor President’, each for approximately 4,200 euros, during meetings?
In total, the expert arrives at a liquidation value of 609,630 euros. The three-part painting by Hermann Nitsch, which gives Benko’s office a bloody frame, is apparently not owned by Signa Holding.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
