Former German finance minister Lindner eyes private sector
Former German finance minister Christian Lindner, previously leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), is set to move into the private sector, according to information obtained by dpa.
The federal Cabinet is due to decide on approvals required under Germany’s cooling-off period rules, which restrict former ministers from taking up new positions immediately after leaving office.
Starting in November, one year after leaving his post as finance minister, Lindner would be allowed to assume new roles.
Lindner, 46, is expected to join the shareholder board of StepStone Group, a digital recruitment firm jointly owned by private equity fund KKR and media company Axel Springer SE, as an independent member. Sources close to Lindner confirmed he has applied for approvals for this and other mandates.
StepStone operates numerous international job portals and provides online recruitment solutions, generating about €1 billion ($1.2 billion) in revenue in its most recent fiscal year.
Since April, Lindner has participated in conferences at home and abroad as a speaker on geopolitics and the global economy.
Lindner left government with the collapse of the previous German coalition. After the FDP failed to return to parliament in the subsequent federal election, he announced his withdrawal from active politics.
