Draft:Axel Rückert

Axel Rückert, born in Berlin on 23 August 1946, is a German businessman living in France and author of essays on Franco-German relations.

Biography

Born on 23 August 1946, Axel Rückert is the son of Hasso and Christine Rückert. He began his secondary education at the Lycée français de Berlin and went on to obtain a master's degree in political science from the Free University of Berlin in 1971.

Professional career

During his time at school and university, and following a term as leader of the "Association Internationale d'étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales" (AIESEC) in Germany, he took part in numerous Franco-German activities (hosting journalists, exchanges and internships).

He first joined Klöckner in Duisburg and then Henkel in Düsseldorf. In 1974, he joined McKinsey & Company in Paris.

In 1983, he founded his own company, Management Partenaires, specialising in seconding experienced managers to companies in difficulty. In this capacity, he held a number of management positions, including at Chapelle Darblay, Boussac Saint-Frères and Société des Vins de France.

In 1995, he was appointed Chairman and CEO of Bull Europe and Overseas, then CEO of the Smart Card Division.

In 1999, he took over the operational management of BSN Verre, renamed BSN Glasspack.

Axel Rückert was interim CEO of Philips Consumer Communications (2001) and Getronics (2002-2003) in the Netherlands, and of virtual telephony operator Debitel (2004-2007) in Stuttgart.

Philips Consumer Communications, in its mobile phone business, was making heavy financial losses and did not have the 'critical mass' for the global market. On 4 May 2001, CEO Thom Swartsenberg resigned and Axel Rückert took his place. He dismantled the mobile phone division, starting with the production of mobile phones and fax machines, and restructured the factory in Le Mans, resulting in the loss of over a thousand jobs, with a majority of staff redeployed.

At the end of February 2003, he was appointed CEO of Getronics. Getronics became a subsidiary of KPN in 2007.

Axel Rückert joined Debitel Netherlands in 2004 as a director. In January 2006 he also became CEO of Debitel France, which he sold to SFR, and in June 2006 CEO of the Debitel Group in Stuttgart. Thanks to a strategic partnership with Media/Saturn, the acquisition of another MVNO and the DUG retail chain, Debitel became the leading marketer of mobile phone subscription contracts in Germany.

Rückert is a regular contributor to the French press as an expert on Franco-German relations.

Private life

Axel Rückert lives in Paris. He is married to Carole, a lawyer and deputy mayor of Rueil-Malmaison. He has 4 children and five grandchildren: Nicolas, Audrey Brugère (Iris, Hadrien, Hector and Esther) Martin (Ella) and Joffrey.

Awards

Axel Rückert is a knight of the Légion d'honneur (1992) and a former adviser to the Banque de France.

Publications

• 1971: Ostpolitik und Ostgeschäft, in: Dokumente: Zeitschrift für internationale Zusammenarbeit(Cologne), 27 (1971), pp. 69-76

Books

Axel Rückert is the author of several essays:

• 2015: (with Hubert Védrine) L'allemand qui parie sur la France.
• 2017: (with Jean-Claude Trichet): Dessine-moi une Europe qui donne envie also published in German under the title "Courage Ich wünsch' mir ein Europa, das begeistert" (published by Dietz Verlag).
• 2018: (with Mathias Fekl) Vous avez dit dialogue social?
• 2022: (with Maurice Lévy) Making the France I love succeed!
• 2024: (with Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux) Sauve qui (peut) sait!