Interview with Hochtief CEO Lütkestratkötter: Qatar Investment 'Not an Act of Desperation' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

Since September, the German construction giant Hochtief has been fighting off a takeover bid by the Spanish company ACS. SPIEGEL spoke to Hochtief CEO Herbert Lütkestratkötter about the recent investment from Qatar, his wariness of the Spaniards and why he is uninterested in a high severance payment.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Lütkestratkötter, for months you have campaigned energetically against the takeover of Hochtief by major Spanish shareholder ACS. Now you have announced that the Emirate of Qatar will be a new major shareholder. Isn't this an act of desperation?

Lütkestratkötter: It's strategy, not an act of desperation. The talks with Qatar haven't exactly been going on since yesterday. We have been active there for a long time. We are quite clearly an attractive partner for Qatar, and the reverse is also the case. They aren't investing in our company out of desperation.