Eva Landrichtinger's salary hike sparks criticism of Austria's Wirtschaftskammer

Eva Landrichtinger, a 33‑year‑old former cabinet chief and former secretary‑general of Austria's Ministry of Labour and Economy, was appointed head of the WKÖ banking division in November 2025. Within a month she received an extra €8,000 in annual gross salary, raising her total to roughly €163,000 per year. The chamber justified the raise as “besonders gute Leistungen” (particularly good performance).

Austria’s supreme audit institution, the Rechnungshof, criticised the increase as insufficiently documented and lacking transparency. It noted that the raise exceeded the planned 4.2 % collective‑agreement increase and highlighted that Landrichtinger also holds a seat on the board of the Schönbrunn cultural‑operating company, which was not disclosed. The audit court called for clearer reporting of senior‑staff remuneration.