Deutsche Post director says interested in stake in Italy’s post operator

Deutsche Post AG director Peter Kruse said his company could be interested in taking a stake in Italy’s postal operator Le Poste in any privatisation by the government.

In comments cited by Il Sole 24 Ore Saturday, Kruse said that first there will have to be a political consensus on privatising the postal operator, like there has been in Germany.

‘We have still not seen any official announcement, but it is surely the case that we are ready to consider it attentively,’ he said, referring to any privatisation in Italy.

Deutsche Post is watching developments in other European countries, he said.

‘We are participating in an auction that will take place for 25 pct of the Danish post office, that operating in a small market, is looking for a strategic partner,’ he said.

‘We were ready to take part in Austria’s postal privatisation but the government has changed its idea and the sale has been blocked,’ he said.

In Italy, Deutsche Post has already seen ‘a very positive evolution’ in the last years, he said, referring to recent Le Poste efficiency measures.

The newspaper said Italy is already an important market for Deutsche Post’s logistics operations, and where its unit DHL has 900 mln eur sales.

Kruse, who is also CEO of DHL, said he does not see necessity for further acquisitions in this sector, without making it clear if he was referring to DHL just in Italy or in a wider market.