SWEDEN: Saab buyer holds C level interviews as clock ticks for closing bid2 August 2012 | By: Simon WarburtonProspective Saab purchaser, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), says it has undertaken several interviews for C level positions for the new EV manufacturer, with the clock ticking on any finalising of its bid.NEVS has appointed a new human resources officer to supervise top management recruitment, with news of the positions and details of a closing bid for Saab due to be announced at some point "during this summer."However, given it is August already, time is clearly of the essence for NEVS, which has interviewed unnamed candidates for several positions, including those of chief operating officer as well as chief financial officer and while a CEO has also yet to be determined, preliminary meetings have taken place."There is no name for a CEO yet," a NEVS spokesman told just-auto from Sweden. "I know they have met people and interviewed people, several positions, the recruitment is on-going."No deal has also yet apparently been finalised between NEVS and estate specialists, Hemfosa.It is unclear whether or not this will impact the final handover of Saab's Trollhattan factory in western Sweden, with the company insisting this will again occur this summer when the closing bid for the bankrupt automaker is announced.As with management recruitment, there is also not a great deal of time left to tie up any loose ends remaining for the site, which has remained more or less idle since Saab's plunge into insolvency."Hemfosa has not finished the property deal," said the NEVS spokesman. "We don't know any dates - our message is closing during the summer - when the closure is performed we will announce [it]."That will coincide with the Hemfosa property, the factory."NEVS has also contacted Trollhattan mayor, Paul Akerlund, who has taken a keen interest in the future of Saab, having previously told just-auto he hoped an initial 1,500 staff could be recruited to ease the town's chronic unemployment, although this would have been through the eventually abortive attempt by Chinese manufacturer, Youngman, to acquire the automaker.Akerlund noted Trolleybus needed a "lot of new jobs" to compensate for Saab's disappearance, a situation that left a gaping jobs hole unions have estimated to be causing a huge unemployment rate of around 25%.NEVS has confirmed it has also been in touch with Swedish labour bodies, such as blue collar body, IF Metall."There have been meetings with the unions, yes," said the NEVS spokesman. "At least IF Metall. This was earlier so there are no [more] meetings planned for now.NEVS is a Chinese/Japanese/Swedish organisation, which has already inked the deal to buy Saab, although the final details have yet to be made public.NEVS anticipates launching its new electric Saab in either late 2013 or early 2014.© 2012 All content copyright just-auto.com.
