contract dissolved
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Berlin trade fair boss Ecknig stops
Ecknig has only been CEO of Messe Berlin since January 2021. Now it’s over again. A reason for the separation from the manager was not given. However, there are allegations in connection with the rbb affair.
The head of the Berlin trade fair, Martin Ecknig, stops. The Messe Berlin supervisory board and Ecknig have agreed to terminate his contract as CEO, as the state-owned Messe Berlin GmbH announced on Wednesday. The Supervisory Board had previously met.
A reason for the separation was not given, according to a spokesman for the fair, the background was contractually confidential. First he had “Business Insiders” [Bezahlschranke] reports that Ecknig is on the brink of extinction and that an expert opinion has recommended his immediate release.
Ecknig has only been CEO since January 2021, before that he was a manager at Siemens. The portfolio of the trade fair includes major internationally known events such as the International Green Week, the ITB tourism trade fair and the International Consumer Electronics Fair (IFA).
Allegations in connection with the rbb affair
Ecknig’s name has also been mentioned in the past few months in connection with the affair surrounding allegations of nepotism at Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb). The focus is on the director Patricia Schlesinger, who was fired without notice, and the resigned station chief controller Wolf-Dieter Wolf. Both rejected the allegations. The Berlin Attorney General is investigating. The presumption of innocence applies until clarification.
Wolf was also chief supervisor at Messe Berlin. Schlesinger’s husband, the ex-“Spiegel” journalist Gerhard Spörl, worked as a consultant during this period. This coached Messe boss Ecknig. Wolf had withdrawn from the trade fair supervisory board in the summer in the wake of the rbb allegations that had arisen since the end of June. According to the Supervisory Board, an investigation initiated by the trade fair into the award of contracts to Spörl had shown that there were no violations, especially with regard to public procurement law. There was no tender.
Hoffmann takes over the post on an interim basis
As reported by the trade fair, the Personnel and Presidential Committee was instructed by the Supervisory Board to immediately initiate a procedure to fill the position of Managing Director. The previous CFO Dirk Hoffmann takes over the post on an interim basis.
Berlin’s Economics Senator Stephan Schwarz (non-party, for SPD), who is also deputy chairman of the supervisory board of the trade fair, welcomed the decision to clear the way “for a real new beginning”, as he said “Berlin Morning Post” said.
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, November 30, 2022, 9:00 p.m