CargoBeamer appoints Dr. Markus Fischer as CEO; Nicolas Albrecht moves to Chairman of the Supervisory Board

• Nicolas Albrecht moves from CEO to Chairman of the Supervisory Board
• Dr. Markus Fischer, CFO since 2016, appointed Chief Executive Officer
• Tilman Apitzsch promoted to Chief Commercial Officer; succeeds Boris Timm
• Julian Hagenschulte brings CargoBeamer’s digital and technology functions under integrated leadership as Chief Digital & Technology Officer; Co-founder Hans-Jürgen Weidemann steps down from the Executive Board and remains with CargoBeamer.

CargoBeamer, the leading provider of intermodal solutions for transporting semi-trailers by rail, is realigning its leadership for the next phase of European growth. Nicolas Albrecht, CEO since early 2022, has been elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board, where he will focus on capital and long-term strategy as representative of the company’s largest shareholder. Dr. Markus Fischer, the company’s CFO since 2016, succeeds him as Chief Executive Officer. Tilman Apitzsch has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer, succeeding Boris Timm, and Julian Hagenschulte brings CargoBeamer’s digital and technology functions under integrated leadership as Chief Digital & Technology Officer. With operational leadership concentrated in three mandates, CargoBeamer deliberately reduces its Executive Board from five to three members.

The changes are made from a position of strength. CargoBeamer recorded more than 30% growth in trailers transported in June 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier. All of 2025 saw a significant double-digit volume growth over 2024, despite challenging market conditions. The Leipzig-based intermodal operator, one of the leading scale-ups in Eastern Germany, runs connections across six European countries and manages three terminals, two of them undergoing major expansion. Its new terminal in Kaldenkirchen is scheduled to open in early 2027, with Domodossola to follow later that year.

Nicolas Albrecht moves to Chairman; Markus Fischer appointed new CEO

Nicolas Albrecht has been elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board, succeeding Robert A. Osterrieth, who has chaired the board since 2019 and remains a member of it. Albrecht joined the CargoBeamer Executive Board in 2020 and has led the company as CEO since early 2022. In that time, CargoBeamer became the fastest-growing operator in Europe’s intermodal sector, extending its network across six countries. Albrecht’s move to the Supervisory Board is built around what comes next. CargoBeamer will expand its network and terminal capacity substantially in the coming years, and Albrecht seeks to remain close to the capital and expansion strategies behind that growth. Representing the company's largest shareholder on a Supervisory Board that shifts towards institutional capital, he will keep it tightly connected to the business and its management team. The group’s business leadership passes to the Executive Board under Fischer.

Dr. Markus Fischer succeeds Albrecht as Chief Executive Officer. Fischer joined CargoBeamer as CFO in 2016 and has been a defining figure in the company’s development over the past decade, jointly responsible with Albrecht for raising more than €200 million in growth capital. He has overseen all financial, legal, and HR-related matters for many years and has been instrumental in shaping a highly functional, future-proof organization that is prepared for significant growth ahead. He retains all CFO functions and takes on the additional responsibilities of the CEO role.

Nicolas Albrecht, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, says: “CargoBeamer has reached a point where the right structure is a slimmer, stronger Executive Board working closely alongside a Supervisory Board that holds real stakes in the business, paired with a deep understanding of both the company and its market. We put this change in place with the full backing of our shareholders and our board, which reflects the long-term view CargoBeamer takes. Markus and I have built this company side by side in recent years. Markus knows every part of it, and handing him the CEO role was the most straightforward decision the Supervisory Board and I could have made. As Chairman, I will focus where I can add the most value, which is capital strategy, expansion options, investor management, and long-term governance strategy. As the representative of its largest shareholder, my commitment to CargoBeamer is unchanged and I look forward to continuing to work closely with Markus and the new Executive Board. My thanks go to Robert Osterrieth, who has shaped this company for seven years and whose counsel we are glad to keep on the board.”

Dr. Markus Fischer, new Chief Executive Officer of CargoBeamer, adds: “The changes we are announcing today are the result of careful planning over recent months and give us a leadership structure built for the pace we intend to set. Taking on the CEO role with Nicolas as Chairman gives us continuity at the very top, which matters a great deal in a growth phase like this one. Tilman Apitzsch will manage the business with a sharp focus on commercial and operational excellence. Julian Hagenschulte, a proven expert in managing complex infrastructure, technology, and digitalization projects, assumes the duties of Hans-Jürgen Weidemann, who remains a senior and highly valued member of our leadership team. Both Hans-Jürgen and Boris have been extremely supportive throughout this transition, and we extend our sincere gratitude to both.”

Tilman Apitzsch succeeds Boris Timm; Julian Hagenschulte assumes expanded mandate spanning digital and technology

Tilman Apitzsch has been appointed CargoBeamer’s Chief Commercial Officer. Apitzsch recently served as Managing Director of the Intermodal Operations division. In under two years since joining CargoBeamer, he has led the company-wide strategy for 2030 and beyond, strengthened operational and commercial excellence, built new organizational functions, and oversaw the successful launch of new routes. His new mandate combines full commercial and operational responsibility in a single role. Apitzsch succeeds Boris Timm, who served as Chief Operations Officer since 2022 and leaves the company by mutual agreement to pursue new challenges. CargoBeamer thanks him for his meaningful contribution to the company's significant development in recent years and wishes him success in his future endeavors.

Tilman Apitzsch, new Chief Commercial Officer, comments: “In recent years we have laid the foundations for a leading network that carries all types of trailers on rail on Europe’s key corridors. Together, we are driven to create intermodal products that meet our customers’ needs best. Every CargoBeamer service is built around the principle of making our customers succeed, with a strong focus on higher frequencies and greater predictability. I look forward to continuing that work as CargoBeamer’s new CCO.”

As part of the same set of changes, Co-founder, former CEO, and former CTO Hans-Jürgen Weidemann steps down from the Executive Board but remains with the company as a senior executive. Julian Hagenschulte, who joined CargoBeamer as Chief Digital Officer in January 2026, assumes Weidemann’s Executive Board responsibilities for terminal construction, engineering, maintenance, railcars, and R&D. Combining these areas with his existing digital mandate, he now leads CargoBeamer’s digital and technology functions as Chief Digital & Technology Officer (CDTO).

Julian Hagenschulte, new Chief Digital & Technology Officer, explains: “CargoBeamer’s next phase of growth will be driven by the close integration of infrastructure, technology, and digital intelligence. The CDTO division brings these capabilities together – from delivering our new terminal projects and advancing our terminal and railcar technologies to building the digital & data platforms and AI-enabled processes that support our operations and customers. This integrated approach will help us scale faster, increase capacity and reliability, unlock new revenue opportunities, and continuously improve efficiency. The new terminals in Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola will demonstrate what the CargoBeamer technology can achieve at scale.”

The CargoBeamer Executive Board now consists of three members: Dr. Markus Fischer as CEO, Tilman Apitzsch as CCO, and Julian Hagenschulte as CDTO. Nicolas Albrecht chairs the Supervisory Board. The changes took effect on August 1, 2026.

About CargoBeamer

The CargoBeamer Group is a trailblazing logistics provider specializing in the integration of road and rail transport. As a leader in the large-scale decarbonization of European freight, CargoBeamer is committed to delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions that shift freight transport from road to rail, significantly benefiting the environment. The CargoBeamer system, featuring patented wagons, transshipment terminals, and advanced logistics software, is uniquely designed to enable the rail transport of especially non-craneable semi-trailers. This approach not only drastically reduces CO₂ emissions but also lowers other external costs associated with freight transport. Currently, CargoBeamer operates trains across Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Romania with a focus on expanding its network of efficient terminals throughout Europe. These terminals are strategically linked by regularly scheduled intermodal trains running at high frequencies, facilitating climate-friendly rail transport for hundreds of thousands of semi-trailers each year.

Press contact

Tim Krause

E: press@cargobeamer.com

T: +49 1713312918