(Berlin, Ocotber 30, 2025) The Supervisory Board of DB Group has appointed three new Management Board Members in today’s extraordinary meeting. After the change of CEO to Evelyn Palla four weeks ago, the reorganization of the Group Management Board is decided.
Harmen van Zijderveld takes over the task of Management Board Member for Regional Transport as of November 1, 2025. The 50-year-old was previously responsible for the Regional Rail division in the Regional Transport Management Board. The former CFO at Continental and Hornbach Group, Karin Dohm, becomes CFO of DB Group as of December 1, 2025. The 57-year-old steel manager Bernhard Osburg will take responsibility for Freight Transport and thereby DB Cargo as of November 15, 2025.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board Werner Gatzer: „A profound new beginning lies ahead of DB Group. With Karin Dohm, Harmen van Zijderveld and Bernhard Osburg we win personalities who increase speed and bring the expertise suitable for the planned fresh start. “
Evelyn Palla, Chairwoman of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG: „I am very much looking forward to determinedly driving the new beginning of Deutsche Bahn Group together with the new Management Board team. With Karin Dohm, Harmen van Zijderveld und Bernhard Osburg we win experienced and highly responsible leadership personalities who bring exactly the implementation capabilities and future orientation that we require now.”
Karin Dohm has been responsible for the CFO department of Hornbach Group in the past years including Planning & Controlling, Accounting, Tax, Corporate Finance and Treasury, Compliance, Data Protection, Internal Audit and Investor Relations. Prior to that, the 53-year-old economist was active as auditor and tax advisor for many years in several global leadership positions at Deutsche Bank and in consulting and auditing as partner at Deloitte.
Harmen van Zijderveld has been active at DB Group for more than 20 years in various positions, most recently as team leader in Group Development. Via several leadership positions in Business Development, Supply Management and Traffic Control Center at DB Long-Distance he returned to Group Development in a leadership position. Since February 2024, he was responsible for the Regional Rail division in the Management Board of DB Regional. The native Dutchman is father of three children.
Bernhard Osburg was most recently (2020 – 2024) CEO of Thyssenkrupp Steel and previously has been active for about 20 years in the steel industry in several leadership positions. The graduate engineer was responsible, among other things, for Sales at the steel company and the sale of business units. Furthermore, Osburg implemented restructuring and cost-reduction programs at the Duisburg-based company and particularly drove forward the transformation towards sustainable steel production.
Dr. Sigrid Evelyn Nikutta, Management Board Member for Freight Transport of DB AG and CEO of DB Cargo AG will leave DB Group by mutual agreement at the end of the year. On November 15, 2025, she hands over the business to her successor and will ensure a smooth transition.
Dr. Nikutta started her position in January 2020 in one of the most difficult periods for DB Cargo. She steered DB Cargo safely through the Covid-19 period and made clear that rail freight transport plays a central role for supply security in Europe. Due to her personal commitment, DB Cargo is a reliable partner for German Bundeswehr and Nato. Over the course of a few days, Dr. Nikutta initiated a rail bridge to Ukraine. Within the current transformation, she established structures of a middle-sized company and clear result responsibilities. Her chosen course shows results already in 2025. With the exception of single wagon transport, all areas are profitable.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board Werner Gatzer: „I thank Dr. Nikutta for her extraordinary performance. Particularly in established structures, transformation is challenging. Dr. Sigrid Nikutta has shown that transformation is possible. Together, we have decided for a new beginning in terms of personnel. On behalf of my colleagues in the Supervisory Board, I want to thank Dr. Sigrid Nikutta for her commitment to DB AG. “
Farewell to Berthold Huber
In today’s Committee meeting, Berthold Huber, Member of the Management Board for Infrastructure, was given farewell. The 62-year-old leaves the company as per end of October after 28 years at DB Group. The occasion for this is the restructuring of the Group Management Board of DB AG. Huber has set the course successfully and significantly in several positions within the Group over the course of the last three decades. Most recently, he has established the infrastructure division oriented towards the common good, DB InfraGO, und thereby implemented one of the most significant paradigm shifts since the rail reform in 1994 together with politics and employee representatives.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board Werner Gatzer: „For decades, Berthold Huber has worked for a better rail system with strong commitment and passion in various positions for DB Group. From day one, Huber believed that railway employees were the company's greatest asset. We thank him for the trustful collaboration over many years. “