Overview

• Deutsche Bahn chief Richard Lutz has been told to leave but stays in office until a successor is appointed as the supervisory board engages external headhunters.
• Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder says there are sufficient interested candidates and plans to unveil a rail strategy around 22 September, aiming to present the new leader in the same window.
• The EVG union rejects promoting current top managers and calls for a largely reconstituted board, while industry voices caution against a prolonged leadership vacuum.
• Names floated include Evelyn Palla and Philipp Nagl, while reported declines have come from Peter Füglistaler, ÖBB’s Andreas Matthä, and SPD politician Jörg Kukies, and the search continues.
• Analysts argue a CEO swap alone cannot fix chronic delays and losses, pointing to the need for long-term infrastructure financing, revised track charges, and political decisions on structure as punctuality and finances remain weak.