Before the Deutsche Bahn’s balance‑sheet press conference on Friday, Professor Christian Böttger, a railway expert at the Berlin University of Technology and Economics, said that further reforms in management are still necessary.
He told the Bayern media group (Friday edition) that whether the new CEO, Evelyn Palla, can push through her demanding reform agenda will be decisive.
According to Böttger, the main obstacles are the trade union EVG, which is heavily represented in the board, and the SPD representatives on the owners’ side – the federal government – who have repeatedly made clear that they do not want structural reforms and are critical of a fundamental reorganisation. He added that “we also need a reform of the railway supervisory board”, because “there are still directors in office who helped cause the crisis and should urgently be replaced”.
In spite of these challenges, Böttger believes that Palla is pursuing the right reforms. He highlighted her experience within the group and expressed that he is “impressed by the directness with which Palla tackles and handles problems”.