Hertha BSC basic assembly: three new members on the chief committee and two departures on the supervisory board

Dirk Lentfer is – even when he doesn’t play soccer himself – one thing like the key star of Hertha BSC. For years he has led by way of the members’ conferences of the Berlin second division membership with a mix of seriousness and irony. He has confirmed to be a dependable navigator by way of the insanity. It was the identical once more on Sunday in exhibition corridor 21a. “Now the wild journey begins,” stated Lentfer when it got here to agenda merchandise 12, by-election of the members of the presidium.

After just below an hour, half of the 19 of the unique 21 candidates had launched themselves. “We did it right away,” stated Lentfer. It then took one other two hours earlier than he might announce the primary outcomes. But it surely was removed from over. Within the first spherical, nobody acquired the required absolute majority. Ten candidates additionally ran within the second spherical. Anne Noske (730 votes), Saravanan Sundaram (648) and Ralf Thaeter (644) have been elected.

Earlier than the elections, a vote-out or a vote-out movement in opposition to Klaus Brüggemann, the chairman of the supervisory board, was initially on the agenda. However that was over at quick discover.

Proper in the beginning of the overall assembly, Vice President Fabian Drescher introduced two items of stories “that got here as a little bit of a shock”. Brüggemann introduced his resignation from the supervisory board with fast impact, as did Renate Döhmer.

In an announcement, Brüggemann expressed sturdy criticism of his predecessor Torsten-Jörn Klein and President Kay Bernstein. Since his election as chairman, Klein has made life troublesome for him and has repeatedly said that “he has to stop me.” Bernstein is definitely a pleasant particular person in his non-public life, however “clearly overwhelmed by the workplace of president.”

Bernstein himself was unable to attend the overall assembly after he fractured three vertebrae in an accident on the workplace earlier this week. He spoke out through video message to present an account. Hertha has turn into “a bit extra of a membership” and after relegation has “a workforce that’s enjoyable and provides us pleasure,” he defined. However there isn’t any purpose for euphoria: “Now we have not achieved something other than survival.”

Contemplating the scenario within the spring, when the license was in critical hazard, that is excellent news. After “years of monster losses,” says Bernstein, the “correction of the insanity” has been achieved. “We’re on the proper path.”

Hertha’s president additionally defended the brand new shareholder 777 Companions, which is investing a complete of 100 million euros and in return holds 78.8 p.c of the restricted partnership on shares (KGaA). “It was concerning the existence of our membership,” stated Bernstein.

That is additionally mirrored within the monetary figures offered by managing director Tom Herrich. Hertha as soon as once more closed the monetary 12 months with a big unfavourable working consequence. The annual deficit was 99.1 million euros – nearly 20 million euros larger than the 12 months earlier than.

Earnings of 123.7 million euros was offset by bills of 222.8 million euros. Fairness has shrunk to five.4 million euros (from 29.5 million euros).

Hertha has now initiated in depth restructuring efforts, which is able to quickly have a optimistic impression, defined Herrich. Thanks to a price discount of virtually 80 million euros and a switch surplus of round 20 million euros this summer season, bills could be lined by revenue once more for the primary time. The record-breakingly excessive personnel prices of 97.6 million euros have been decreased by 50 million euros for the present season.

For the 2023/24 monetary 12 months, Hertha’s managing director introduced an nearly balanced working consequence with a lack of simply two million euros. “It is a superb end in a short while,” stated Herrich. “The measures have now taken impact. However the renovation isn’t but full and nonetheless requires quite a lot of self-discipline.”