Deutsche Bahn boss Richard Lutz has been sacked. This was introduced by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) on Thursday afternoon.
“Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, Deutsche Bahn (DB) Supervisory Board Chairman Werner Gatzer and Dr Richard Lutz reached a mutual settlement in Berlin at this time to prematurely terminate the CEO’s contract,” stated a DB spokesperson.
“Dr Richard Lutz will proceed to be obtainable in an govt capability till the succession on the prime of Deutsche Bahn AG has been settled,” she added.
In an announcement on Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport’s X account, Schnieder wrote: “It’s time for a structural and personnel reorganisation.”
Lutz’s contract was not scheduled to run out till 2027. Nonetheless, because it was cancelled prematurely, a severance cost of €2.84 million is to be anticipated. Final 12 months, Lutz earned €1.42 million in fastened remuneration. He additionally obtained bonuses totalling round €700,000.
Lutz will stay at Deutsche Bahn’s disposal as a managing director till a successor is appointed. He has been a member of the Deutsche Bahn Govt Board since 2010 and Chairman since 2017.
The seek for the suitable successor might take longer than anticipated. A number of railway specialists have rejected the Supervisory Board’s job provide, studies Handelsblatt, citing railway sources.
The 63-year-old head of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Andreas Matthä, and the previous head of the Swiss Federal Workplace of Transport, Peter Füglistaler, have been amongst these contacted—with out success.
Siemens Mobility boss Michael Peter is being mentioned. South Tyrolean Evelyn Palla, who’s answerable for regional transport at Deutsche Bahn, additionally has probability of changing into a doable successor.
Associated
Schnieder will current the brand new technique for Deutsche Bahn on 22 September.
“I’ve at all times stated technique first, then personnel,” says Schnieder. “The broad outlines of our idea are in place,” stated the transport minister.
In any case, the technique ought to be complete. Deutsche Bahn recorded an financial lack of billions in 2024 – a minus of €1.8 billion, in keeping with the Group.
The online loss within the first half of 2025 was barely much less – round €760 million. Punctuality in long-distance transport reached a historic low of 62.5% and the infrastructure can also be in poor situation.
