Berthold Huber becomes the new board member for infrastructure at Deutsche Bahn AG (DB). The 58-year-old replaces Ronald Pofalla, who left at the end of April for personal reasons despite a multi-year contract. Huber is currently responsible for passenger transport on the DB board.
His election to the supervisory board is considered certain after the supervisory body’s personnel committee has already approved it. The specialist service Tagesspiegel Background learned this from corporate circles. The election is planned for the two-day Supervisory Board meeting beginning on June 22nd. The Federal Ministry of Transport did not want to comment on request. One does not comment on personnel speculation, said a spokesman.
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The CEO of DB AG, Richard Lutz, had already suggested his confidant for the post in March. Huber also enjoyed public support from the EVG railway union, which holds most of the employee seats on the supervisory board of the state-owned company. But Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) decided to leave the post open for the time being.
The background is the planned structural reform at the ailing state-owned company. The traffic light coalition want to convert the DB infrastructure divisions into a new non-profit rail company. It should act largely independently within DB Holding. Huber, on the other hand, is considered a supporter of the integrated railway company.
The railway board should now appoint a representative for the introduction of the non-profit rail company. Jörg Sandvoß, previously head of DB Regio, is planned. There will be no new passenger transport board. Michael Peterson, the head of DB Fernverkehr, and Evelyn Palla will replace Huber on the board. Palla, previously CFO at DB Fernverkehr, will also replace Sandvoß as CEO of DB Regio.