Mr Erich Kandler

Erich Kandler is Austrian certified public accountant (Wirtschaftsprüfer) and a US Certified Public Accountant (Ohio) as well as a certified and court appointed expert (allgemein beeideter und gerichtlich zertifizierter Sachverständiger) for Accounting and Auditing as well as Loans, Banking and Capital Markets.

Following his academic business education in Austria und the USA he worked for almost 30 years with international accounting firms in the USA, Germany and Austria. He specializes in the audits of and advisory work for banks in regulatory and accounting matters as well as supporting capital markets transactions and fostering good corporate governance. Mr. Kandler supported a significant portion of the CEE/SEE expansion of Austrian banks and led the introduction of IFRS at Austrian real estate companies, industrial groups and banking groups. Since 2014 he serves Austrian and international clients in the financial and real estate industries as senior adviser in his own capacity. He is a member of a number of national and represents Austria in and international professional bodies as well as a private and academic lecturer (University of Vienna).

Education:

• MBA (Magister der Betriebswirtschaft) Wirtschaftsuniversität Vienna (1984)

• Master of Accountancy Bowling Green State University (Ohio – 1985)

• Certified Public Accountant (Ohio – 1986)

• Tax Advisor (Steuerberater, Austria – 1991)

• CPA (Wirtschaftsprüfer, Austria – 1995)

• Studies of Law at the University of Vienna (no degree)

• approved and registered as “certified and court appointed expert” (allgemein beeideter und gerichtlich zertifizierter Sachverständiger) for Chapters 92 Taxes, Accounting and Auditing as well as 87 Loans, Banking and Capital Markets (Commercial Court Vienna – 2014)

Professional Career:

• 30 years of experience in audits and advisory work at listed financial institutions including several of the leading banking groups in Austria (eg Erste Group / Savings Banks, UniCredit Bank Austria and BAWAG), advice on regulatory matters including IRB implementations, special financing structures, business valuations, corporate governance matters, due diligence work, restructuring plans, take-overs and squeeze outs as staff member and partner of international accounting firms in the USA, Germany and Austria

• 25 years of experience in audits and advisory work at large or listed real estate and real estate leasing companies (eg S-Immo AG, NÖ Hypo Leasing, Immorent)

• 20 years of experience in leadership roles at Deloitte Austria and internationally including member of the executive board, leader of the audit function, responsibility for reputational and risk matters as well as head of bank audit and advisory and finally responsibility for all regulatory matters

• Long standing experience as lecturer, recently also as Lektor for Group Accounting (in English) at the University of Vienna´s Department of Business Administration, Division for External Accounting

Current Functions:

• Shareholder and managing director of EKWP Wirtschaftsprüfungs GmbH, Vienna (an owner managed accounting corporation)

• Board Member of Flughafen Wien Mitarbeiterbeteiligungs Privatstiftung, Schwechat (holding 10% of the shares of Vienna Airport)

• Director of Mag. Erich Kandler Grundstücksverwaltungs KG, Vienna (a very small private real estate company)

• Since 2000 member of the Federation of European Accountant’s (FEE) Corporate Reporting Policy Group (including the predecessor groups)

• Member of AFRAC (Austrian Financial Reporting and Auditing Council) working party on international accounting, chairman of a number of sub-groups

• Examiner for the Examination Board for Auditors (Wirtschaftsprüfer) of the Austrian Chamber of Accountants

Previous Functions:

• From 2005 to 2009 managing director of the Austrian Savings Banks Auditing Agency in charge of the statutory, regulatory and IFRS audits of all Austrian savings banks

• Austrian Representative at FEE as Council Member, Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Company Law working party (2004 to 2011)

• Member of (Austrian Financial Reporting and Auditing Council – 2005 to 2010), chairman of several committees preparing guidance on the accountant’s work, most notably the involvement in capital market transactions of clients and enforcement

• Member of the European Commission´s expert group on Corporate Governance and Company Law from 2005 to 2009