Bernhard Guenther, chief financial officer of Germany energy company Innogy SE, was the victim of an acid attack that left the 51-year-old with serious injuries, according to Dusseldorf police.
The attack occurred on Sunday morning close to Guenther’s home in the city’s Haan district and was perpetrated by two “southern looking” men between 20 and 30 years old, said the police, who’ve launched an inquiry into attempted murder.
Innogy, which produces and sells renewable power after its 2016 spin off from energy giant RWE AG, is “deeply shocked” over the assault, Chief Executive Officer Uwe Tigges said in a statement late Sunday. There is no information on the motive for the attack, according to the statement. The company is due to present its full-year earnings report on March 12.
Guenther, a trained economist, was CFO of RWE between 2013 and 2016 before he joined Innogy, according to its website. After being doused with a liquid, he ran home before calling an ambulance, the police said, adding that Guenther’s injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.