DThe FDP European politician Nicola Beer is to represent Germany as Vice President on the Executive Committee of the European Investment Bank (EIB). Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) submitted this personnel proposal to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) shortly before Easter, as the FAZ learned from ministry circles.
This means that at least one of two interesting personnel issues is being clarified at the EIB in Luxembourg, which is also considered the EU’s “house bank” and finances investment projects that are important in terms of European policy. The other question concerns the successor to EIB President Werner Hoyer, who is stepping down at the end of the year after 12 years in office. Beer’s nomination for one of the eight deputy posts now suggests that, after Hoyer’s long term in office, the federal government no longer sees any chance of being able to appoint a personality from Germany to head the institute again.
They are now relying “on a particularly strong vice president and personnel proposals for other EU institutions,” it said in ministry circles. Hoyer, former FDP foreign politician, turns 72 in November. So far there are no obvious favorites for his successor.
Familiar with industry promotion
Beer, born in 1970, has been Vice President of the European Parliament for four years. In the Committee for Industry, Research and Energy, she takes care of the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises and industry, which technically creates a connection to the core tasks of the EIB. In addition, Beer is also involved in the EU Parliament with the topics of the capital market union and taxonomy.
The promotion of investments and innovations is therefore a familiar field for them, according to the personnel proposal. Appropriate references can also be found in her training biography: After graduating from high school, the Wiesbaden native first did a bank apprenticeship, then studied law and worked as a freelance lawyer. The decision on her appointment to the EIB is made by the Bank’s Board of Governors, on which Germany is represented by Minister of Finance Lindner.
Successor to Nahles in Bonn
Beyond that, there is another person in Lindner’s department with interesting references: Petra von Wick, previously sub-department head in the ministry, will become President of the “Federal Agency for Post and Telecommunications Deutsche Bundespost” (BAnst PT), as the FAZ learned. It is due to the former SPD leader Andrea Nahles that this authority based in Bonn has recently attracted some attention: Nahles had found a new job there as President after retiring from politics.
Since Nahles has now moved on to the Federal Employment Agency, this position had to be filled. Von Wick has long worked in the Ministry of Finance, responsible for state investments, and has represented the federal government on the supervisory bodies of Bundesdruckerei and Autobahn-GmbH.