Béglé argued Swiss Post International and Finance were key new revenue streams

Update 23:10  Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Claude Béglé , chairman of the board of Swiss Post, the Swiss postal system, has resigned following several weeks of political turbulence. He handed in his resignation to the Swiss Federal Council late Tuesday 19 January, effective immediately. Béglé has been under attack from several quarters for his plans to modernize the postal system, especially its expansion abroad, but most recently the attacks have become more personal.

He became chairman of the board in June 2008.

Béglé’s departure brings to four the number of board members to leave in under two months.

CEO Michel Kunz, was dismissed over by the board over differences in strategy in December, then soon after, 22 December, longtime board member Rudolf Hug abruptly quit, citing differences with the new chairman. And 6 January board member Wolfgang Werlé also quit.

Béglé told TSR in interviews Tuesday evening that he had resigned because he felt La Poste would be better equipped to move forward without him. In his official letter of resignation he mentioned defamation and personal attacks as part of his reason for leaving. Media in the Lake Geneva region have also pointed to his isolation as the rare French-speaking area director in a business dominated by Germ n-speakers.

The government has been pushing to deregulate the postal system and two of Béglé’s key reforms have been to increase Swiss Post’s exposure outside Switzerland and to strengthen the financial arm of the group. Both strategies have met stiff resistance. He has argued that in a changing world, with falling postal traffic, the group needs more sources of revenue.

Links to other sites: Le Temps (Fre), La Poste, TSR (Fre)

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