• Bechtle aims to convert into a European public company
• AGM 2021 to decide on transformation into a Societas Europaea (SE)

In an ad-hoc notice, Bechtle AG today announced its intent to prepare the transformation into a Societas Europaea (SE), a European public company. The proposal by the Executive Board to pursue such a step was today approved by the Supervisory Board, and Bechtle AG’s shareholders will have the final say on the conversion in a vote to be held at the next AGM on 15 June 2021. The change in corporate form will sharpen Bechtle’s profile as a progressive European IT organisation and enable international employees to better engage in corporate decision making. 

With the new legal form, Bechtle aims to increase visibility of its identity as a European company with subsidiaries in 14 European countries, as well as the influence on corporate decision making by employees at the Bechtle Group’s international locations.

Stronger participation of international employees

As part of the transformation process to adopt the legal form of an SE, Bechtle intends to work with employee representatives from across Europe to establish an institutionalised way of bi-directional communication to both inform and hear European employees across hierarchies, national borders and business segments—a concept already reflected in Bechtle’s principle of connected decentralisation today. In addition, the legal form of an SE will allow employee representatives from other European countries to be appointed to the Supervisory Board of the future Bechtle SE.

Modern, sustainable legal form

Stakeholder parity on the Supervisory Board will remain intact, i.e. equal representation is given to Bechtle’s employees and shareholders. The current twin structure of a Supervisory and Executive Board will also remain unaffected. The current rights of shareholders will all be retained, and no further effect on customer and workforce relations is expected from the change of the corporate form. The company’s main office is to remain in Neckarsulm, Germany.

“In a nutshell, an SE is a corporate form that is very modern and here-and-now, but also a perfect fit for the size and diversity of our international organisation and the interests of our employees in Europe for years to come,” says Dr Thomas Olemotz, CEO, Bechtle AG.

Following 1999’s conversion from Bechtle GmbH to Bechtle AG, the transformation into an SE is the next logical step on the organisation’s path ahead.