The appointment was made by DB’s Supervisory Board on November 7 and will take effect on January 1 2020.

Nikutta became director of human resources at DB Schenker Rail, as DB Cargo was called in 2001. She then became director of production and business management spokesperson for the block train transport division in Mainz, before taking up a role as director of production at the Polish Schenker subsidiary DB Schenker Rail Polska in Zabrze, before moving to BVG in 2010.

“There is a lot to do in freight transport in order to achieve the company’s ambitious goals,” says chairman of the supervisory board, Mr Michael Odenwald. “Nikutta has the necessary ability for decision-making to manage the organisational restructuring.”