According to media reports, the managing directors and brothers Alexander (left) and Konstantin Sixt (right) are said to have a harsh working atmosphere at Sixt. Gettyimages
The car rental company Sixt is facing fundamental changes at the board level, which bring challenges despite record profits.
The sudden departure of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) James Adams increases uncertainty within the company. In addition, the contract of CFO Kai Andrejewski will soon expire, as “Wirtschaftswoche” reported.
In addition, the authoritarian leadership style of the managing directors and brothers Alexander and Konstantin Sixt is met with criticism. According to employees, the atmosphere in the company is said to be characterized by tension.
Germany’s leading car rental company Sixt is facing fundamental changes – despite ongoing record profits. Most recently, the sudden departure of James Adams, a former top manager at Booking.com, caused a stir. The latest developments not only raise questions about leadership, but could also impact the company’s long-term strategic direction, the reported “Business Week”.
Adams, who drove the company’s international growth and digitalization, was recently appointed to Sixt’s board of directors. But according to the media report, he has now left the company. His departure not only raises questions about his successor, but also increases further uncertainty – because CFO Kai Andrejewski’s contract is also set to expire soon and has not yet been extended.
The mood within the company is reportedly noticeably tense, as many employees criticize the authoritarian leadership style of the brothers Alexander and Konstantin Sixt. The way we deal with employees, but also with senior positions, has led to a major change at management level. Key positions such as head of the German-speaking market and US boss had to be filled.
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The working atmosphere should be characterized by pressure
Reports of a work environment characterized by pressure and uncertainty have worsened the internal atmosphere. The Sixt managing directors Alexander and Konstantin Sixt, who took over the company in 2010, are said to be even more authoritarian than their father Erich Sixt.
Additionally, as car rental companies have experienced significant growth in recent years, efforts to increase their reliance on electric vehicles are facing challenges. Customer resistance and the planned expansion of the vehicle fleet could bring financial uncertainty. In particular, the brothers’ different personalities could make it more difficult to overcome the problems, according to the report in “Wirtschaftswoche”.
The car rental company is still making record profits
However, Sixt is still in a very good financial position with large profits. But the uncertainties on the board raise questions about how the car rental company will orient itself in the future. So far, Sixt has relied on premium car brands – although the company recently announced that it would buy cars from the French company Stellantis (including Peugeot, Fiat, Opel and Citroen) in the next three years. Does this mean a departure from the previous strategy?
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It remains to be seen how Sixt will respond strategically to these internal challenges and whether the company will be able to continue its success story in an ever-changing market. The coming months will show whether Sixt can maintain its place as a leading player in the car rental industry.
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