Siemens Healthineers CEO criticizes German business leaders' reliance on politics

Bernhard Montag, CEO of Siemens Healthineers, has criticized the tendency of German business leaders to constantly demand government intervention. In an interview with the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Montag stated that he does not like the constant ‘complaining’ regarding politics, noting that Germany is not a planned or state-run economy.

Montag argued that many executives behave as if they have a right to have the government clear obstacles for them, a mindset he suggests is similar to behaviors often criticized in employees. He further noted that the government is not solely responsible for economic growth and dismissed the idea that bureaucracy is the reason why Germany has not produced companies comparable to the US-based chipmaker Nvidia.

Despite these criticisms of the business climate, Montag emphasized the importance of Germany as a location for Siemens Healthineers. He noted that more than 20 percent of the company's workforce is based in Germany and that the company has invested 650 million euros in its German sites in recent years.