Israel Railways Operates Without CEO or Chairman Amid Leadership Vacuum

Moshe Shimoni has stepped down as chairman of Israel Railways after serving for about six years, recently taking the role of chairman at Mekorot. Since August 2023, when CEO Moshe (Shiko) Zana ended his tenure, Israel Railways has been functioning without a permanent CEO or chairman. Currently, Abner Flor, former head of infrastructure at the Ministry of Transportation and a trusted associate of Transportation Minister Miri Regev, serves as acting CEO.

Despite a recruitment committee conducting a search with 12 finalists for the CEO position, no clear candidate has emerged, prompting efforts to find additional candidates, preferably from the private sector, to advance the railway's development. During Shimoni's chairmanship, two CEOs left: Micha Meiksner in 2023 after disagreements with Shimoni and Regev, and Zana following conflicts with the workers' union and criticism over the railway electrification progress.

Several senior executives also departed under Shimoni's leadership, including the HR vice president, legal counsel, finance vice president, and recently the freight vice president Israel Marko, who oversaw freight trains involved in two recent accidents. Shimoni also dismissed the head of the electrification administration. Over the past year, Shimoni led the railway through major freight train accidents, operational changes amid tensions with Iran, and the separation from the Spanish company SEMI, which had managed electrification works for over a decade but was blamed for significant project delays.

The appointment of Shimoni to Mekorot's chairmanship was pushed by Energy Minister Eli Cohen and Minister for Government Companies Dudi Amsalem before the election period began, which prohibits senior appointments. The company’s board convened urgently in May to approve his appointment. Shimoni was initially slated to chair the Israel Electric Corporation, but that appointment did not materialize.