Israel Railways Faces Leadership Vacuum as Chairman Departs and CEO Role Remains Unfilled

As of Wednesday, Israel Railways is without its two top executives. Chairman Moshe Shimoni, who served for about six years, ended his term after being appointed chairman of Mekorot. Meanwhile, nearly a year after CEO Moshe (Shiko) Zana left, the company still lacks a permanent replacement. Avner Flor, former head of infrastructure at the Ministry of Transport, is currently acting CEO.

In recent months, a thorough search for a new CEO has been underway. The initial tender concluded without a selection despite 12 candidates reaching advanced stages. A new search has been launched, with recent outreach to CEOs of major government companies such as Orly Stern of Netivei Ayalon, Nissim Peretz of Netivei Israel, and Itamar Ben Meir of NTA. So far, none have expressed interest, though Stern remains a notable candidate amid pressure at her current post.

The difficulty in filling the CEO position is attributed to the role’s complexity. The CEO must manage multi-billion shekel infrastructure projects, a strong labor union, operational disruptions, safety incidents, and ongoing public criticism of service quality. During Shimoni’s tenure, the company experienced significant leadership turnover, including two CEOs and several senior executives, alongside challenges like delays in electrification projects and operational issues during the conflict with Iran.

With Shimoni’s departure, Israel Railways now faces the dual challenge of appointing a new chairman and a permanent CEO during a critical period. The company is poised to complete major infrastructure projects such as the Eastern Railway, Route 431, the fourth Ayalon track, and nationwide electrification. Until permanent leaders are appointed, the railway will continue under interim management amid these pivotal developments and the pressing need to restore public trust in service reliability and safety.