Reutax

Reutax AG was a German personnel services provider specialising in the placement of IT experts and engineers into project-based roles for industry, trade and public administration. Founded in 2002 by Iranian-born entrepreneur Soheyl Ghaemian, the company grew rapidly, with revenue rising from €0.9 million in 2002 to €32.9 million in 2006 and reaching €170 million by 2011. At its peak, Reutax had around 800 freelancers under contract and was one of Germany's leading IT staffing firms. The group included Reutax Temp GmbH (temporary staffing), Reutax Perm GmbH (permanent placement) and Lenroxx GmbH (freelancer and supplier management). In March 2013, Reutax AG and its subsidiaries filed for insolvency at the Heidelberg district court. The insolvency was accompanied by allegations of fraud and delayed insolvency against Ghaemian, who was arrested in July 2013 and later sentenced to five years and three months in prison for breach of trust. Following the insolvency, the remaining business was merged with QUEST Softwaredienstleistung GmbH in 2014 to form Questax, a strategic alliance that continues to operate in IT staffing and consulting. The Reutax brand is no longer active as a standalone entity.

Reutax AG was founded in 2002 by Soheyl Ghaemian, an Iranian-born entrepreneur. The company specialised in the placement of IT experts and engineers into projects for industry, trade and public administration, as well as permanent placement, and advised companies on workforce flexibility. It grew rapidly: revenue rose from €0.9 million in 2002 to €32.9 million in 2006, and by the 2011 financial year the group achieved revenue of €170 million. In 2012, Reutax AG had around 800 freelancers under contract. At the beginning of 2013, the group included Reutax Temp GmbH (temporary staffing), Reutax Perm GmbH (permanent placement) and Lenroxx GmbH (management of freelancers and service suppliers for clients). Reutax Perm GmbH was the vehicle for the non-independent Ghaemian Foundation, with an annual budget of about €100,000. The company operated in an increasingly difficult business environment, as noted by Computerwoche in an article on 24 April 2013. On 22 March 2013, Reutax AG (case no. 51 IE 2/13), Reutax Temp GmbH (case no. 51 IN 47/13) and Lenroxx GmbH (case no. 51 IN 48/13) filed for insolvency at the Heidelberg district court. Shortly after, on 28 March 2013, there was a change in the board of directors of the parent company in Zurich. The insolvency was reportedly linked to the withdrawal of Hans-Peter Wild, who was said to have been privately involved in Reutax with a double-digit million euro amount. Many consultants who had not been paid for months left the company; the number of freelance consultants fell from 1,000 at its peak to 600 before insolvency and to about 300 by October 2013. The insolvency administrator found that the company had already closed 2011 with a loss of €24 million. Ghaemian, who maintained an elaborate lifestyle and sponsored TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberger Frühling and the Rotary Club Heidelberg Schloss, lived in Switzerland and the USA. He founded a new company called Wildgigs Limited in San Francisco. By 16 April 2013, three criminal complaints for fraud and delayed insolvency had been filed against Ghaemian and board members. Ghaemian was arrested on 2 July 2013 in Wilhelmsfeld on suspicion of breach of trust and fraud; he was accused of having booked several private houses as company expenses. At the end of July 2013, a detention review hearing at the Mannheim district court suspended the arrest warrant against a security payment of ten million euros, but Ghaemian could not raise the sum and remained in custody. In January 2014, the Mannheim public prosecutor's office charged him with fraud and breach of trust in five cases. On 17 July 2014, Ghaemian was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for breach of trust. In 2014, Reutax merged with QUEST Softwaredienstleistung GmbH to form Questax, a strategic alliance that continues to operate in IT staffing and consulting.

• Reutax AG founded by Soheyl Ghaemian.

• Revenue reaches €32.9 million.

• Group revenue reaches €170 million; company closes year with €24 million loss.

• Around 800 freelancers under contract.

• Reutax AG, Reutax Temp GmbH and Lenroxx GmbH file for insolvency.

• Founder Soheyl Ghaemian arrested.

• Ghaemian sentenced to five years and three months in prison.

• Reutax merges with QUEST Softwaredienstleistung GmbH to form Questax.

Leading German IT staffing and freelance brokerage firm, later merged into Questax.

• IT freelance placement

  Placement of IT experts and engineers into project-based roles.

• Temporary staffing

  Employee leasing via Reutax Temp GmbH.

• Permanent placement

  Permanent IT recruitment via Reutax Perm GmbH.

• Freelancer management

  Management of freelancers and service suppliers via Lenroxx GmbH.

1. 1Questax official websitequestax.com
2. 2Questax 360° servicesquestax.com
3. 3About Questaxquestax.com
4. 4Questax freelance servicesquestax.com
5. 5Wikidata: Reutaxwikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia (German): Questaxde.wikipedia.org