The newly appointed German Federal Minister of Transport, Patrick Schnieder, has taken a confrontational stance with the Deutsche Bahn’s board of directors. The issue at hand is the planned appointment of three new executives to the infrastructure company DB Infrago, as reported by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Minister Schnieder has expressed his discontent with the board’s decision, stating, “I am in no way in agreement with the Bahn’s approach.” He has also made his concerns clear to the Bahn’s leadership, adding, “Now, the strings are being pulled tight.” This open dissent marks the beginning of a power struggle between the state-owned company and the federal government over the future management of the organization.
Initially, the Bahn had planned to promote Gerd-Dietrich Bolte, a project manager known for his work on the Riedbahn, to the executive board. Ingrid Felipe, a former Austrian Green Party politician, was set to take over the infrastructure planning and project department. However, these plans have been put on hold indefinitely.
The reorganization of the Bahn, including its management, is one of the biggest challenges facing the new transport minister. The coalition agreement of the new federal government has outlined the need for a new board of directors, executive board and infrastructure company management, with the goal of increasing expertise in the leadership and streamlining the organization’s structure.
It appears that the Bahn attempted to address this challenge by reshuffling its top executives, but the plan has been blocked by Minister Schnieder. Speculation has been rampant over potential leadership changes, particularly regarding the future of Bahn CEO Richard Lutz. However, Minister Schnieder has not indicated a desire for rapid changes at the top, instead stating that he wants to develop a strategy for the company’s future, outlining its direction over the next five to ten years.