Christian Lindner: "I'm not the type who just talks about it his whole life"
For more than half a year, the former Minister of Finance has been deputy head of Autoland. Handelsblatt has been following him. How is Christian Lindner doing in his new job?
Christian Lindner, a 47-year-old man, strides onto the stage in Rottach-Egern not to discuss his new job, but to address inquiries about his past. His attire - a bright yellow Zegna jacket, a simple shirt, and black sneakers - contrasts with the topics that dominate the discussion: the defunct Alliance coalition, the struggling FDP, and his tenure as Finance Minister.
Lindner, dressed in a sleek blazer and accompanied by a portfolio of business cards, attempts to move past the past. He aims to focus on the firm he aims to transform: a company with 1,500 employees, a turnover of over one billion euros, 38 stores, and a headquarters in Saxony-Anhalt. The transition is from a politician to a business leader, trading the confines of the Finance Ministry for a boardroom in a provincial German town.
The transformation, however, has not been without its challenges. The Handelsblatt, a German business newspaper, has been following Lindner closely over the past few months. They have observed his appearances, visited his new workplace, and even heard from his former colleagues. The resulting portrait is of a man who places immense importance on his public image, yet who is constantly drawn back by the grip of the past. Will he truly choose to leave it behind?
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
