Overview

• Richard Lutz was removed as permanent CEO and continues only in an acting capacity until his successor is confirmed by Deutsche Bahn’s supervisory board.
• The Federal Ministry of Transport has taken charge of the succession process and engaged a headhunter to meet an ambitious September 22 deadline for the appointment.
• Pro Bahn has proposed HVV chief Anna-Theresa Korbutt for the role, with media reports also naming DB Regio head Evelyn Palla, DB Cargo executive Sigrid Nikutta and outsiders such as Jörg Kukies, René Obermann and Michael Peter.
• Passenger groups, unions and politicians are pressing for a leader with proven management skills to tackle record-low punctuality, a multi-billion-euro maintenance backlog and ongoing financial losses.
• Observers warn that appointing a new CEO must be accompanied by deeper governance and investment reforms to restore customer trust and system performance.