【精英翻譯關注新聞】In four years running Taiwan’s high-speed line, Ou helped reverse company’s losses歐董帶高鐵－【精英翻譯】的部落格

In four years running Taiwan’s high-speed line, Ou helped reverse company’s losses (2014/03/06)

Ou’s resignation ends a four-and-a-half year stint as head of the high-speed rail company. He is best known for leading the company out of a financial crisis after he took over in 2009 and making it profitable in 2011. But his reputation has been hurt more recently, at least with the public, by fare hikes and a series of train delays.

The morning after Ou resigned, a large group of reporters waited for him outside his home, but he never emerged. Just a few days earlier, Ou had boasted how well Taiwan’s high-speed rail was being run.

Ou Chin-der (Feb. 28, 2014)
Former THSRC Chairman
Our average delay during the seven years we’ve been operating is 0.25 minutes. That’s the best of any high-speed rail system in the world.

Ou was brimming with confidence because he had helped Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation reverse its fortunes in recent years.

After taking over as chairman in 2009, he negotiated a syndicated loan of NT$380 billion with eight banks to refinance outstanding debt, cutting annual interest costs by NT$1 billion. That set the stage for the company to finally turn a profit in 2011.

The company’s improved performance has been reflected in its share price, which has hovered at about NT$5 per share over the past year after falling to just under two and a half NT$ per share in 2009.

Though fare hikes pushed through last October were unpopular with the public, they were expected to further improve the company’s earnings. But the line’s reputation for punctuality has been hurt by several delays in service since then.

Though Ou will stay on at least temporarily as the company’s CEO, his resignation is expected to deal a blow to the high-speed rail in the future.

歐董帶高鐵

歐晉德閃電請辭，結束近四年半的高鐵董事長生涯，他自2009年臨危授命，代表官股接掌董座挽救高鐵。上任來，透過貸款借新還舊，每年降低至少十億利息負擔等措施，的確讓高鐵從一百年轉虧為盈。去年堅持調漲票價，也讓高鐵營收更亮麗。但漲價後六次出包，卻嚴重衝擊大眾對高鐵快速、準點的信賴。

高鐵董事長歐晉德，閃電請辭，隔天一早大批媒體守候在家門口，就是不見他出面。但前不久，歐晉德才曾自誇高鐵營運狀況良好！

[[前台灣高鐵董事長歐晉德 (2014.02.28)]]
以我們現在的誤點率來講的話，在目前七年平均是0.25分鐘，那麼在全世界，高鐵系統裡面是最高(好)的。

發言信心滿滿，是因為他這些年的確帶領高鐵扭轉局面。

2009年接下董事長後，力促與8家銀行，完成3千8百億多元的聯貸案，透過借新還舊，每年減少至少十億貸款利息負擔，也讓高鐵從2011年開始轉虧為盈。

表現反映在股價上， 2009年時僅僅2.43元，但近幾年已經拉高到平均5元左右。

加上去年十月調漲票價，雖然惹來民怨，卻讓財經界預估營收將更加亮眼。但偏偏漲價後不斷出包，衝擊了大眾對高鐵準點的信賴。

歐晉德請辭，雖然仍兼有高鐵執行長職務，但勢必對於高鐵營運，造成不少衝擊。