Heinz Schimmelbusch

Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch (born 1944) is the Chief Executive Officer of AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG, EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG"). AMG provides material science-based metallurgical solutions for energy, aerospace, infrastructure and specialty metals and chemicals markets.

Background and education

Schimmelbusch was born in Vienna.[1] He received his graduate degree (with distinction) and his doctorate (magna cum laude) from the University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.[2]

Present

AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.

Schimmelbusch was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. Management Board on November 21, 2006 and was reappointed for a term of four years on May 11, 2011. He has served in a similar capacity, for businesses that comprise AMG since 1998. AMG filed an initial public offering on the Euronext exchange in Amsterdam in June 2007. AMG creates and applies innovative metallurgical solutions for energy, aerospace, infrastructure and specialty metals and chemical markets. Using secure raw materials strategies, vertical and horizontal industry consolidations and investments in technology, AMG produces products that contribute to CO2 reduction.[2]

Present Directorships

Schimmelbusch serves as a Director of various companies including Allied Resource Corporation in Wayne, Pennsylvania, United States and PFW Aerospace AG in Speyer, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.[2][3]

Past

Safeguard International Fund, L.P.

In 1997, Schimmelbusch, in cooperation with Michael R. Holly and Arthur R. Spector formed Safeguard International Fund, L.P. (SIF), a private equity fund which had US$305 million of equity capital under management. It was formed to make acquisitions of technologically oriented metallurgical businesses in North America and Western Europe.[4] SIF made 10 principal investments, including Metallurg Holdings, Inc., ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH and Sudamin Holdings LLC. These businesses were eventually merged to form AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.

SIF also invested in PFW Aerospace AG and Scan Wafer AS, which was eventually merged into Renewable Energy Corp AS. SIF has returned over US$625 million in cash and shares to its investors to date.[5]

Schimmelbusch is also a member of the executive committee of the general partner of SIF. In November 2002, he was appointed chief executive officer of Metallurg. He also served as chairman of the board of Metallurg and Metallurg Holdings.[4]

Metallgesellschaft

Schimmelbusch began his career at Metallgesellschaft AG (MG AG), also known as MG, in 1973. Schimmelbusch was the Chief Executive Officer (1989 to 1993) of Metallgesellschaft, a German industrial conglomerate.[1] Metallgesellschaft AG based in Frankfurt was one of Germany's largest industrial conglomerates. It had over 250 subsidiaries specializing in mining, specialty chemicals (Chemetall), commodity trading, financial services and engineering (Lurgi). Under the leadership of CEO Schimmelbusch, Metallgesellschaft entered the oil business by selling fuel to customers (such as gasoline stations) via its American subsidiary, MG Refining and Marketing in the form of fixed price long term contracts (up to 10 years).[6] Metallgesellschaft attempted to hedge its exposure to rising oil prices on the futures market.[1] Unfortunately, in 1993, oil prices began to drop and Metallgesellschaft's derivatives strategy turned into extensive paper losses.[6] The company's largest shareholder, Deutsche Bank found out and responded by ousting Schimmelbusch and liquidating Metallgesellschaft's positions which turned the virtual losses into real losses.[6] The decision by the MG AG supervisory board to end MG Refining and Marketing (MGRM)'s marketing program early - against loud protests from Schimmelbusch and the management board - precipitated massive international controversy. Metallgesellschaft almost went bankrupt after losing an estimated $1.3 billion on speculative bets in oil future markets.

Among the many who analyzed the MGRM debacle were the late Nobel laureate Merton Miller and Christopher Culp. Together they wrote seven articles and co-edited one book attempting to explain what was really going on at MGRM. It is fair to say in retrospect that Miller and Culp were highly sympathetic to Schimmelbusch and his team. This is not, of course, why they were written. In fact, Professor Miller and Christopher Culp resolved early in their analysis of MGRM that to preserve credibility in the face of growing controversy, they would neither accept any payment for any of that work nor would they communicate with any of the principal players at MGRM or MG AG. Professor Miller and Christopher Culp were merely analyzing the facts and the economics of the case. That this proved to be a defense of Schimmelbusch's actions was a consequence of the facts, not a deliberate effort on their parts.[7] MG and Schimmelbusch settled the lawsuit with MG even helping to pay his legal fees.[1]

Past Directorships

Schimmelbusch's directorships have also included MMC Norilsk Nickel, Allianz Versicherung AG, Mobil Oil AG, Teck Cominco Limited, and Methanex Corporation.[4]

Schimmelbusch served as a member of the Presidency of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Presidency of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mark Landler (August 10, 2007). "Heinz Schimmelbusch's comeback". International Herald Tribune.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. 2011 Annual Report" (PDF).
  3. ↑ http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/people.asp?privcapId=5646380
  4. 1 2 3 Credit Suiss - ING Wholesale Banking (June 26, 2007). "AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. Prospectus".
  5. ↑ "Safeguard International Fund L.P. - 2011 Annual Report". 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Metallgesellschaft AG - Company History
  7. ↑ Culp, C.L.& Niskanen, W.A. (Eds.) (2003). Corporate Aftershock. The Public Policy Lessons from the Collapse of Enron and Other Major Corporations. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. p. 356. ISBN 0471430021.
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