📋 Tender Overview
OBB Rail Cargo Austria board member Clemens Forst is leaving the group
Ursula Zechner remains managing director of OBB Production
Georg Schatz becomes head of OBB Group Controlling
(Vienna, December 11, 2025) - Major personnel decisions were made at OBBs Supervisory Board meeting today at OBB-Holding AG. Andreas Mattha, CEO since 2016, has been extended until June 30, 2027.
I am pleased to have Andreas Mattha as CEO for another year. With him, we are relying on continuity and stability at the top of the group in economically challenging times. As part of the federal governments double budget for 2025/26, the OBB has set up a very far-reaching program to increase competitiveness, which, among other things, provides for savings in the framework plan. In addition, the overall European situation of rail freight transport has taken a particularly negative turn and we face many operational challenges - such as Construction site situation in Germany or delivery bottlenecks - we are also close to the groundbreaking opening of the Koralm tunnel, which will make the southern route enormously attractive. We want to face all of this with the necessary calm and experience in management, emphasizes the President of the Supervisory Board of OBB-Holding AG, Brigitte Ederer.
Continuity in the management of OBB Production
OBB Production, which coordinates the running of trains and in which all train drivers are employed, also relies on continuity.
The contract of Ursula Zechner, managing director of OBB-produktion GmbH since 2021, was also extended. She continues to be at the dual leadership of the company together with Fabian Fusseis.
Changes in the board of Rail Cargo Austria
However, there will be a change in management at the freight transport subsidiary Rail Cargo Austria AG. After the annual financial statements have been prepared, Clemens Forst will leave the group at the end of April 2026 after almost ten years at the helm of Rail Cargo in order to devote himself to new tasks. Bettina Castillo will be in charge of the financial agenda and the ongoing restructuring program. The aim remains to strengthen the competitiveness of the Rail Cargo Group in the difficult period of the industrial recession. In this context, the board of directors will be reduced to two board members. In addition to Bettina Castillo, Christoph Grasl is also on the committee.
Andreas Mattha, who heads the supervisory board of Rail Cargo Austria AG, says: Clemens Forst has shaped the strategic development and modernization of the Rail Cargo Group since 2017, expanded its status as a European industry leader and led it through numerous crises with the management team. He provided key impulses for fair competitive conditions between road and rail and gave the industry in Europe a strong, common voice. I am sorry that Clemens Forst is leaving the group. Of course I respect He has significantly and positively developed freight transport and given it a good identity and new self-confidence within OBB. I would like to thank him for that and wish him all the best for the future.
Change in the leadership of the supervisory board in the OBB subgroups
There will be another change in the supervisory boards of the subgroups: OBB CEO Andreas Mattha will take over the chairmanship of the supervisory board of OBB-Infrastructure AG from January 1, 2026 against the background of major challenges in the infrastructure - keyword construction site situation in Germany or the opening of the southern route. OBB CFO Manuela Waldner will take over the chairmanship of the supervisory board of the sales companies OBB-Personenverkehr AG and Rail Cargo Austria AG with the necessary focus on increasing competitiveness.
New Head of Controlling
Georg Schatz returns to OBB and takes over management of group controlling at OBB-Holding AG. The controlling expert was most recently Head of Global Group Controlling at the Stoelzle Glass Group and was previously employed in various functions at OBB, including heading controlling at Rail Cargo Austria AG. Schatz succeeds Markus Binder-krieglstein, who is leaving the group at the end of the year.
