NOVOMATIC AG has announced that it is reshaping its Supervisory Board, appointing Birgit Wimmer as Chairwoman.
According to a Thursday release, Wimmer’s appointment was solidified at its General Meeting. She replaces Dr. Bernd Oswald who has been a member of the board for nearly 10 years. Oswald will ‘now take up another position in the group of companies’.
Wimmer is the first woman to head the Supervisory Board, bringing extensive investment and management experience coupled with insider knowledge of the banking sector.
The executive had previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors at Novomatic’s Swiss holding company NOVO SWISS AG as well as the Managing Director of Austrian-based Novo Invest BmbH.
Speaking of her appointment, Wimmer noted, “As Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, I look forward to working together with my colleagues on both the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board as we help to successfully shape the Group’s strategic and sustainable development”.
In addition to the new Chairwoman, Dr. Haig Asenbauer has been elected to serve as Deputy Chairman of the board. The internationally experienced lawyer is set to further contribute his expertise in cross-border M&A transactions, company reorganization and investment structures.
After the changes, the company’s board is now comprised of Wimmer – Chairwoman, Dr. Asenbaueru – Deputy Chairman, Martina Flitsch – Member, and Dr. Robert Hofians – Member.
The appointments come amongst a brewing corporate battle over Novomatic’s takeover bid for Ainsworth Game Technology (AGT), with Novomatic seeking majority control as it aim to expand its global footprint and strengthen its presence in the Australian market. The proposed deal would give the European firm significant influence over AGT’s operations, positioning it as a dominant player in the region’s gaming machine industry.
