Übernahme-Offerte: Evonik lehnt Angebot von BASF ab, doch der Poker geht weiter – drei Szenarien sind möglich

Düsseldorf - The Essener RAG Foundation has declared "Hello Future" on its homepage, adding a new and unique touch. Recently, this has taken on a whole new meaning, as Germany's most financially powerful private foundation must decide the future of Germany's second largest chemical group, Evonik. The Evonik leadership rejected a first takeover offer from rival BASF on Monday afternoon.

The market leader had expressed interest in acquiring Evonik on Friday. The Evonik board has been critical of the move from the outset. However, the poker continues. Following Evonik's initial rejection, the position of the RAG Foundation with its 44% stake has now become the crucial factor for further action. So far, the foundation has not clearly positioned itself.

The leadership intends to explore all options in the coming weeks, according to an insider, pointing to the complex mix of interests and commitments within the RAG Foundation: "In the RAG Foundation, many different interests and obligations collide." The policies of North Rhine-Westphalia, the federal government, union bosses, and Ruhr region representatives all play a role. Thus, it is clear: In the case of BASF-Evonik, there are several conflicts of interest.