ÖBB’s top staff in criticism: management problems and supply jobs

The crisis in passenger transport triggers criticism of top staff. Anyone who thinks about the successor to CEO Matthä, supply jobs for the ex-supervisory board boss and for Kogler employees.

Die ÖBB have not just since then Century flood serious problems. bottlenecks for employees and trains, very outdated sets, Residues in maintenance, the mood among the 45,000 railway workers is bad. The consequences for the long-suffering passengers are Train cancellations and Delays.

This raises the question of whether Austria’s largest company even has the right top staff.

The appointments to positions are usually influenced by party politics and are the personnel playground of the respective transport minister.

With the railway crisis comes the holding boss Andreas Matthä (SPÖ) under pressure. The busy worker is considered very respectable and such a huge company must first be able to hold together. But the company is saying that he is weak in making decisions, extremely adaptable and not a doer.

Matthä recently extended his time as chairman of the supervisory board for all three board members of the passenger transport subgroup. “A clear sign of continuity in challenging times,” argued Matthä in the summer. Continuity yes, but unfortunately in poor performance. Create facts before the departure of the Green minister Leonore Gewessler.

Ducked away

The successor, from whatever party, could only replace the three board members through expensive severance payments. Matthä is also accused of ducking out as one during the flood and sending his managers ahead.

Matthä’s contract runs until July 2026; after 40 years on the railway, the 62-year-old no longer has any ambition to extend it, he has already said. The SPÖ-affiliated board member of Infrastructure AG, Silvia Angelo, traded. She comes from the union and the AK.

Such a coincidence that the recently resigned ÖBB supervisory board president was in Angelo’s area Andrea Reithmayer found their supply post.

It is rumored in the ÖBB that the former vice-rector of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences was completely overwhelmed by the chairmanship of the railway supervisory board and was earnestly asked from all sides to go back.

Not true, Reithmayer explains to the KURIER. The former vice-rector of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences emphasized that a human resources consultant had contacted her. The position “internal building construction and project development” was to be filled at Infrastructure AG. “An exciting task where I can contribute a lot of experience. I don’t see this as a step down.” It is clear that the supervisory board job has an expiration date. The supervisory board mandate would have expired in April 2025. Nevertheless, descending from the top of the supervisory board to the fourth management level has its own quality. The position was not advertised.

Angelo’s strong mentor is the former Siemens boss and SPÖ town hall politician Brigitte Ederer. Under the blue minister Norbert Hofer tipped out, brought back by Gewessler and now, at least temporarily, head of the ÖBB supervisory board again. Whether Ederer stays will depend on the new government.

The deputy cabinet head of the current vice-chancellor and Green Party leader Werner Kogler Incidentally, it also needs to be taken care of quickly. Also Kranawetter, formerly also in the Chamber of Labor, becomes head of communications for infrastructure under Angelo. Not good optics either.

In one respect, Reithmayer was relentless, as we hear from the ÖBB. At Gewessler’s request, she consistently included women in the cast list. Railway and management experience were not always a prerequisite. Holding CFO Manuela Waldner comes as well as the passenger transport board member Sabine Stock from the consultation. Judith Engel has construction experience, but was supposedly seventh and last in the hearing for an infrastructure board job.

Another personality is causing discussion. Herbert Kasser, Long the most powerful section head in the Climate Ministry and since the summer, board member of the state highway company Asfinag, remains on the ÖBB supervisory board. Although his successor in the ministry is there anyway, Cornelia Breuß, moved in and ÖBB and Asfinag are competitors.