Elron dismisses executive as delayed train launch nears

Elron’s supervisory board has dismissed executive board member Märt Ehrenpreis, who was responsible for technology and rail operations at the state-owned train operator, ERR reported. The decision was made at a meeting in early November, less than three months before new Škoda trains are expected to begin running to Tartu, two years later than planned, according to Delfi.

Company register records show that Ehrenpreis’s term ended on November 10, although it was due to run until April 2028. Elron’s executive board currently has one member: chairman and chief executive Lauri Betlem.

“I did not agree with the structure and vision that was coming next,” Ehrenpreis told Delfi Ärileht, declining to comment further.

Delfi Ärileht reported that the dispute concerned a restructuring that would eliminate the technical chief’s role in its current form. Ehrenpreis considered the change inappropriate while Elron was undergoing major changes and the railway sector was becoming increasingly shaped by technology.

Betlem proposed the restructuring to the supervisory board, citing the state’s expectations as the owner. The state wants Elron to earn more from ticket sales as the company brings new trains into service and designs a new depot, he told Delfi Ärileht.

Betlem said the executive board will have three members instead of two. Alongside the chief executive, one will oversee business and IT, while another will be responsible for rail operations and technology.