Germany Recasts Deutsche Bahn Oversight with Executives from Outside Rail

Germany’s federal government has approved a major overhaul of Deutsche Bahn AG’s supervisory board, signalling a shift toward broader business expertise beyond the rail sector. The changes form part of Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder’s wider reform agenda aimed at strengthening governance at the state-owned rail group.

At the meeting on 4 February 2026, the German federal cabinet approved Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder’s proposal for a new composition of the shareholder representatives on the supervisory board of Deutsche Bahn AG. The move marks the next step in the planned and publicly announced reorganisation of the board, with a clear objective: opening the body to expertise from outside the traditional rail sector.

As part of the reshuffle, several high-profile figures from German and international business will join the supervisory board. Among them is Christoph Franz, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Zurich Insurance Group, who previously held senior management and supervisory roles at Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and Roche Holding.

Another new member is Birgit Bohle, currently a member of the Management Board of Deutsche Telekom AG. Bohle also brings direct rail experience, having previously worked at Deutsche Bahn. As Managing Director of DB Vertrieb, she played a key role in expanding digital ticket sales, particularly via the DB Navigator app, and later successfully led DB Fernverkehr AG as Chair of its Management Board.

The third external appointment is Elisabeth Lepique, a lawyer and tax adviser with long-standing experience as a partner at Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH. Lepique brings extensive expertise in commercial and tax law, particularly in relation to public and state-owned enterprises.

Together with existing supervisory board members Immo Querner and Daniela Mattheus, these appointments mean that half of the shareholder representatives will now consist of seasoned figures from across the German economy.

In line with long-standing practice, the parliamentary groups of CDU and SPD have also nominated three members to the supervisory board. MPs Björn Simon, Uwe Schmidt, and Sebastian Brehm will join as recognised experts in transport and public finance.

The personnel changes will take effect from 1 March 2026, following a resolution of the general meeting. The current Chairman of the Supervisory Board, former State Secretary Werner Gatzer, and Claudia Stutz, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, will remain in their positions.

According to Minister Schnieder, the new appointments significantly strengthen the supervisory board’s commercial and strategic expertise. He stressed that the diversity of professional backgrounds would support a "new start" for Deutsche Bahn and enhance oversight of the company’s transformation, working closely with the re-oriented Management Board under CEO Evelyn Palla.

Source: bmv.de