photo: CER / S. Radke./ From left to right: Incoming CER Executive Director Christine Stockhammer-Kostelka; CER Chair Alan Beroud, CEO of Polish State Railways PKP; and outgoing CER Executive Director Alberto Mazzola.
CER has named Christine Stockhammer-Kostelka as its next Executive Director, with the ÖBB European affairs chief taking over in January 2027. She will succeed Alberto Mazzola, who has led the European railway association since 2021.
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) has elected Christine Stockhammer-Kostelka as its next Executive Director. The decision was taken at CER’s General Assembly in Berlin. Stockhammer-Kostelka will take up the position in January 2027, replacing Alberto Mazzola when his current mandate ends at the close of this year.
ÖBB’s EU Affairs Chief Moves to CER
Stockhammer-Kostelka brings more than 20 years of experience in European affairs, railway policy, communications and association work. Since 2018, she has served as Head of EU & International Affairs at ÖBB, where she leads the Austrian Federal Railways’ work with European institutions and other stakeholders. Her work has also brought her closely into CER’s policy and governance activities.
Before taking on her current role, she headed external communications for the ÖBB Group. Earlier in her career, she worked in political and communications positions in Vienna and Brussels, including at the European Parliament.
She studied Political Science at the University of Vienna and is also a graduate of the College of Europe in Bruges.
As Executive Director, Stockhammer-Kostelka will represent CER members in discussions with EU institutions and other transport organisations. She will also take forward priorities set out in CER’s 2024 manifesto, including rail investment, competitiveness, connectivity and the role of rail in European resilience.
Incoming CER Executive Director Christine Stockhammer-Kostelka said the coming years would bring decisions with long-term consequences for the sector.
"With upcoming EU decisions on investment, competitiveness and transport policy set to shape the conditions for rail for years to come, CER has an important role to play in bringing together the interests of its members and translating them into clear and effective positions at European level," she said.
"I look forward to working closely with our members, the Chair and the CER team to help write the next chapter for European rail."
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Alberto Mazzola Ends Five-Year Term at CER
Mazzola has led CER since 2021 and will remain in the role until the end of 2026. During his tenure, the association has worked on issues including railway investment, competition, European transport policy and the development of a more integrated European rail system. Reflecting on his departure, Mazzola said it had been "a great privilege" to lead the association.
"Together, we have strengthened rail’s voice in the European debate and kept investment, fair competition and a truly European railway system high on the political agenda," he said. He also congratulated Stockhammer-Kostelka and said he was leaving with confidence in the sector’s future.
CER Chair Alan Beroud, CEO of PKP, thanked Mazzola for his work and welcomed his successor. He said Stockhammer-Kostelka’s experience in European rail affairs would be particularly valuable at what he described as an important time for European transport policy.
CER Adds FS Italiane and Green Cargo Leaders to Management Committee
The Berlin meeting also brought changes to CER’s Management Committee. Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO of FS Italiane Group, and Henrik Dahlin, CEO of Green Cargo and Chairman of Swedish rail operator association Tågföretagen, were elected as full members for the remainder of the 2026–2027 term. Dahlin had previously served as a consultative member of the committee. The General Assembly was opened by German Parliamentary State Secretary Ulrich Lange.