Jürgen Wilder

Jürgen Wilder, also spelled Juergen Wilder, is a German business executive working in the railway industry. He was a top-positioned Siemens AG executive, served as CEO of Deutsche Bahn's rail freight division, and was on the executive board of Knorr-Bremse AG, where he was in charge of developing rail vehicle systems and digitalization.

Early life and education Wilder studied physics at the University of Göttingen and received his doctorate from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz in 1999. After earning his PhD, he did research at Harvard University in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

Career

Siemens Wilder began his professional career with Siemens, joining Siemens Management Consulting in Munich and New York. He later moved to Siemens Industry Inc. in Sacramento, USA, where he gained international experience as CEO of the Rolling Stock Business and held leadership roles in Siemens’ rolling stock operations, including in the United States. He subsequently held senior executive positions at Siemens, including Head of Strategy for Infrastructure and Cities and CEO of the Global Mainline Transportation Business Unit.

During his tenure at Siemens, Wilder also served as CEO of the High‑Speed and Commuter Rail Business Unit and in that role presented the new ICE 3 high‑speed train in Germany on behalf of Siemens and Deutsche Bahn.

DB Schenker Rail / DB Cargo In October 2015, Wilder was appointed chief executive officer of DB Schenker Rail AG (later renamed DB Cargo), taking charge of Deutsche Bahn's European rail freight operations. Independent industry reporting noted his appointment and described his background at Siemens, where he managed global rolling stock units and locomotive initiatives, including work in the United States.

In October 2017, Wilder stepped down as CEO of DB Cargo by mutual agreement with Deutsche Bahn. Coverage in independent trade press described his departure following internal leadership discussions.

Knorr‑Bremse In September 2018, Wilder joined the executive board of Knorr-Bremse AG, a German company that makes braking systems and rail subsystems. He was responsible for the Rail Vehicle Systems division. His appointment and time at the company were covered by industry reports and board announcements.

Industry engagement Wilder has been quoted in independent trade reporting on topics including rail industry transformation, digitalisation and automation, such as the development of data‑driven transportation technologies and systems integration.

In October 2022, Wilder authored a viewpoint article in Railway Gazette International arguing that the European rail sector risked “sleepwalking into an existential crisis” unless it accelerated the deployment of digital technologies such as the Digital Automatic Coupler to improve freight competitiveness and operational efficiency.