German conglomerate Siemens confirmed yesterday that some 11,600 jobs would be affected by a restructuring unveiled by chief executive Joe Kaeser earlier this month, but said not all of these positions would necessarily be cut. In an e-mailed statement, a Siemens spokesman acknowledged that Kaeser had made clear at a conference in New York on Thursday that the end of the company’s sector-based structure would affect 7,600 jobs worldwide. An additional 4,000 would be affected by the abolition of country clusters.

“For now, Mr Kaeser has only said how many positions are affected by the organisational restructuring,” the e-mail from spokesman Alexander Becker said.

“But removing jobs in one area does not necessarily have to mean job cuts.”