The Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bahn has confirmed Evelyn Palla as the new CEO of the national railway company. Sources within the Supervisory Board confirmed the appointment to “Spiegel” on Tuesday.
The announcement follows the earlier indication from the railway workers’ union, EVG, that they intended to vote against her candidacy.
Federal Minister for Transport, Patrick Schnieder, had previously presented Palla as his preferred candidate for the position, characterizing the move as a “new beginning”. Schnieder emphasized that Palla emerged as the “best candidate” throughout the selection process, citing her understanding of Deutsche Bahn’s internal operations and her successful management of the Regio division since 2022.
Responding to the appointment, Palla stated that quality would be a top priority under her leadership. She emphasized the importance of passenger satisfaction and articulated the need for a renewed quality culture within the DB Group, committing to its creation.
Palla joined the Deutsche Bahn Group in 2019 and has served as a member of the Management Board since July 1, 2022, concurrently holding the position of CEO of DB Regio. Prior to this, her career included roles within the Management Board of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and at energy company Eon.