Minimal interference from Berlin in Arriva’s business

When Deutsche Bahn bought Arriva last summer, DB chief executive Rüdiger Grube pledged that Arriva would be cast as DB’s international development arm and run as an arms-length organisation from Sunderland.

Certainly, there has been no sign of any insistence from Berlin to date on Arriva recasting its management in the DB mould. Arriva’s structure has remained unchanged since the takeover with the exception of some changes within the teams responsible for managing financial...