The German Railways is to become a climate saver for the federal government and is overwhelmed with a lot of money. It should be 20 billion. Well over 200 new long-distance trains are to be purchased, the ailing infrastructure to be renewed. Also, the VAT on long-distance travel should be lowered according to the desire of the government. Actually a comfortable turn for the crisis-ridden company.
But right now it crashes in the board. There was a rift between the chairman Richard Lutz and Finance and Freight Transport Board Alexander Doll. According to information from the SPIEGEL Lutz wanted to take his colleague's financial department away and use him exclusively as a freight transport board. When the CEO submitted this month to Doll, the offer was canceled. The ex-investment banker should have perceived the offer as an attempt to slow down his career.
Lutz, who had brought Doll to the railway last year, must once again regard the rejection as disloyalty. The plans of the CEO were probably already matured. According to SPIEGEL information, KfW CEO Ingrid Hengster could switch to the railways as CFO. At least Lutz should have planned that.
The Supervisory Board and Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) brings the dispute in the boardroom under pressure. They depend on a successful board work.
The government could part with Lutz or Doll, possibly even both. A railway spokesman did not want to comment on the demand of SPIEGEL on staff disputes, stallion let the demand went unanswered.
The board of the railway is currently under special supervision of the Federal Government anyway. Transport Minister Scheuer had written a letter to Lutz in which he called for, among other things, management reforms and a solution for the freight transport sector with a deficit. The railway must submit by 14 November, how she intends to get the problems under control.
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