German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has announced a critical review of the Deutsche Bahn’s board of directors and supervisory board structures, with a goal of tighter leadership in the future.
The minister believes that there is obvious potential for improvement in the management of the company, citing the government’s 100 percent ownership of the Deutsche Bahn. While the operational business lies with the management, Schnieder questions what would happen if the set goals are not achieved. “How can a supervisory board, which sets certain framework conditions, enforce their observance?” he asked. “We need to discuss such questions.”
According to Schnieder, a reorganization of the supervisory board and management was agreed upon in the coalition contract. He plans to address the overall structure, including the setup of the parent company and numerous subsidiary companies, as well as the high number of executive board members currently in place. If the structure is settled, personal issues will also be discussed, the minister announced.
Schnieder avoided making a statement of support for Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz, instead saying that simply replacing the CEO and hoping for the best is not his approach. He sidestepped a question about whether Lutz enjoys his unreserved trust, stating that both he and Lutz understand the importance of their cooperation for the success of the company. Schnieder emphasized that, as the owner and the management, they must work together to move forward and that they are in agreement on the direction, but still need to discuss the path ahead.