The CEO of GERMAN RAIL (DB), Dr. Richard Lutz, announced his resignation on August 14.
Lutz has been increasingly pressure from both politicians and organizations in the German railway sector in recent years due to the continued weak performance of DB, especially its long branches and shipping, which have suffered from unreliable infrastructure.
The latter, DB Cargo, has been laid down for years, including a 357 million euros loss in 2024, and is currently involved in a strategy aimed at achieving profitability by the end of 2026.
Despite the sale of 14.3 billion euros to DB Schenker, the service sub -service company earlier this year, the recently announced temporary results were faded, as the Foundation as a whole aims only to break this year. This is followed by an operating loss of 333 million euros for the year 2024 in its annual results in March. The leading projects, such as the late Stuttgart 21 station, which seems to have obtained a 7 billion euro bill to overcome costs, was constantly mired in the controversy.
The successor of Lutz has not been announced, although the Federal Transport Minister, Patrick Shenider, says he will remain in the Post when he is expected to be a relatively short transition period.
Lutz was appointed for 10 years in 2017, and he was a former financial manager, the role of his work in 2010. He worked in DB for more than 30 years, where he joined the state operator in 1994.
Industry response
Railways industry groups say Lotz’s resignation is an opportunity for the company and the railway in Germany to change the path.
“Lots has never been carried out” Germany railway “” internal talisman “,” says Peter Westinberger, Managing Director of the German Railways Association. “Instead, he relied on low productivity, decline for DB and unfair competitive conditions on the roads to be replaced by more benefits from politicians.”
“It is good for Lotz to remove the road for a new strategy and new minds. For the Minister of Transport, it is now more urgent to create a flexible frame that the railway managers can follow as a basis for positive change.”
Post DB CEO first appeared in the International Railways Journal.