At the question: “Is DHL going bad?” that I asked in a previous post on February 14, I did not get any answers from UPS, DHL, FedEx, or ABX people.

Previous posts about DHL-FedEx future-ex-love story were more animated, and since I still want to know a little bit more about what is happening to DHL Americas, I keep up with this debate.

A little bit of background

Couple weeks ago, the financial Times Deutschland put about a rumor that FedEx could buy DHL Americas… Then, Deutsche post said it would cut 600 jobs in the United States due to a slowing economy, and now in less than five days, Deutsche Post CEO resigns because of a tax scandal and a new one has been named.

Despite these problems, Transport Topics magazine ranked DHL Americas as the No. 3 on its “Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.”

From “Deutsche Post CEO to Resign in Tax Scandal” to “Deutsche Post Names New CEO”

In less than a week, Deutsche Post changed its CEO. Below is the press coverage from Transportation Topics, that also gives a couple more details about this saga…

In the 1930s, some Alphone “Al” Gabriel Capone served his sentence in Alcatraz for Federal income taxes evasion… Where will Mr. Klaus Zumwinkel go? Probably not anymore to any of Lufthansa AG or Morgan Stanley’s board of directors…

Deutsche Post AG Chief Executive Officer Klaus Zumwinkel will step down from the position he has held for 18 years after German prosecutors announced he was under investigation for tax evasion, Bloomberg reported Friday.

Zumwinkel has told the board’s executive committee “that in the interest of the company, he plans to resign,” Bonn, Germany-based Deutsche Post said in an e-mailed statement Friday, Bloomberg reported.

Deutsche Post did not name a successor for Zumwinkel, 64, who is being probed by German authorities for evading 1 million euros, or about $1.5 million, in taxes by transferring money to foundations in Liechtenstein, Bloomberg said.

His successor will need to focus on the unprofitable DHL business in the Untied States and decide whether to sell retail banking unit Deutsche Postbank AG, Bloomberg reported.

Zumwinkel also sits on the airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s supervisory board and on U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley’s board of directors, the Associated Press reported. [...]

Source: Transport Topics

It just need four days to Deutsche Post AG to name a new Chief Executive Officer. Will it change the situation in the United States? that is not quite sure…

Deutsche Post AG said it appointed Frank Appel its new chief executive officer, following the resignation of Klaus Zumwinkel, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Appel will become CEO immediately, following the resignation of Zumwinkel, who resigned after 18 years in the post following a tax scandal, Bloomberg reported.

Appel is currently head of Deutsche Post’s logistics unit.

Bonn, Germany-based Deutsche Post is the parent company of DHL Americas, ranked No. 3 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.

Source: Transport Topics

As it has been asked by a visitor on a previous article, any new information about a potential reorganization of DHL and its activities in America would be greatly appreciated. Also, any information related to the potential impact of this scandal on international DHL business could help clarifying DHL Americas situation. With this post, I am only restarting the debate, and do not provide more information than what is available in the newspapers… It is your turn now to bring up what you have in your basket.

References

  • Article: Deutsche Post CEO to Resign in Tax Scandal, Transport Topics, Feb. 15, 2008: here
  • Article: Deutsche Post Names New CEO, Transport Topics, Feb. 19, 2008: here

References from the Transport Information Group