Implenia CEO Wyss speaks plainly "There is no way around tunnel construction"
Implenia CEO André Wyss sees tunnel construction as indispensable for the future of Europe. In this interview, he talks about challenging construction projects, rising material costs and his move to the SBB Board of Directors.
28.12.2024, 07:11
28.12.2024, 08:00
SDA
In an interview, Implenia CEO André Wyss emphasized the importance of tunnel construction in view of urbanization and the growing need for mobility in Europe. "There is no way around tunnel construction," he said in an interview with "Schweiz am Wochenende".
According to Wyss, this is why there will continue to be new and major construction projects in Europe in the future. He was particularly proud of Implenia's involvement in all four current transalpine routes, including the second tube of the Gotthard road tunnel and the Brenner base tunnel.
In the newspaper, Wyss referred to increased demands in the construction industry, such as stricter regulations and longer building permit procedures. While objections are a central part of democracy, he criticized delays caused by purely particular interests. Prices also remain an issue. They have risen sharply in recent years for building materials, especially for steel and wood, and are now at a higher but acceptable level.
Conflict of interest as future Chairman of the SBB Board of Directors?
André Wyss emphasized that he would handle potential conflicts of interest professionally and ethically in his future role as Chairman of the SBB Board of Directors. As the current CEO of Implenia, he is also a shareholder in the company, which regularly receives construction contracts from SBB tenders. Wyss stated that he would sell his unblocked Implenia shares in the medium term in a structured process.
He also emphasized that the SBB Board of Directors does not decide directly on the awarding of individual construction contracts. These are subject to clearly regulated public procurement law. "Should a conflict of interest nevertheless arise, I will of course step aside," Wyss continued.
After more than six years as Implenia CEO, André Wyss will step down at the end of March 2025. He will join the SBB Board of Directors in April and will chair it in 2026. The Board of Directors has appointed Jens Vollmar, currently Head of the Building Construction Division, as his successor at the helm of the Implenia construction group.
