“It makes me sick!” Top manager takes on elites

Criticism of the elite is often cheap. But this weekend, it came from a well-respected source: René Obermann.

The Airbus supervisory board chairman vented his anger at the "Berlin Global Dialogue" when he appealed to the assembled top managers not to constantly point the finger at political leaders in Brussels or in their own country . This made him "sick."

Europe is in crisis, Obermann said at the conference of the private business school ESMT. But as in any large company , it is very difficult to implement fundamental changes without a crisis .

The transformation of Europe, according to the former Telekom CEO, will take many years, if not decades – "to become more determined, more ambitious, and more technologically capable again in the next generation of advanced technologies."

However, none of this will succeed “unless all of us in this room, who are very privileged because we have a good education, are financially well-off, etc., take the initiative and support our political leaders.”

Obermann emphasized the need to convey to a population suffering from the crisis that Europe must urgently increase its military deterrence capability . "If we are not part of the solution and stand shoulder to shoulder with those politically responsible," everything is at stake.

René Obermann grew up with his grandparents in a Krefeld social housing project. He knows what it's like to be afraid of one's existence. Perhaps that's why he asked a crucial question in Berlin: If there is "no good leadership and no good role models," how can "we expect ordinary people who aren't on (our) financial level not to vote for extremists, right or left?"

When it came to the topic of role models, Obermann was overcome by something like cold anger: “A lot of people who belong to the elite tell me: If the situation escalates in Europe, in Berlin or Germany – we still have a second home in South Africa or in Canada or in New Zealand.”

Such statements make him sick. If "we as the elite have this mentality," then why should "our soldiers be cannon fodder for 3,000 euros a month , go out there and fight for our freedom?"