Former Deutsche Bahn CIO Koenen to lead digital at Strabag

22.09.2026

3 min read

The construction group is adding a new executive board portfolio for IT, digitalization and innovation on 1 January 2027. The three areas will gain a voice on the body that decides the group’s strategy and investments. Christa Koenen, currently Schenker’s board member for IT and digitalization, will take the role.

Key takeaways

Strabag’s supervisory board appointed Christa Koenen as the sixth member of the executive board on 15 September 2026. The new portfolio brings together IT, digitalization and innovation from 1 January 2027.
Koenen joins from Schenker’s executive board and previously served as CIO of Deutsche Bahn. The construction group explicitly sought external expertise for the appointment.
The group reports around 89,000 employees and output of about 20 billion euros. For all employees, the three areas will come together in a single portfolio going forward.
cio.de reports that her contract runs until the end of 2030. Strabag itself has not disclosed a contract period.

RelatedCIO succession: why internal candidates lose out / Set out the case for the decision before drawing the organization chart

What is a CIDO? CIDO stands for Chief Information and Digital Officer. Strabag uses the title for its new executive board seat combining IT, digitalization and innovation; the group’s announcement is headed “Christa Koenen becomes CIDO”.

The executive board gains a sixth seat for technology

Strabag’s supervisory board appointed Christa Koenen to the executive board on 15 September 2026. She is due to take office at the start of the year, bringing the board to six members. Koenen will take charge of a dedicated portfolio for IT, digitalization and innovation.

The group reports around 89,000 employees and output of about 20 billion euros. Output here measures the value of construction work performed. The position is newly created; the three areas have not previously been combined at the top of the organization. The announcement defines the remit as group-wide IT matters, digitalization and innovation.

Why the supervisory board looked outside the company

Koenen joins from Schenker’s executive board, where she was responsible for IT and digitalization. Before that, she was CIO of Deutsche Bahn, leading the rail group’s IT operations. Both roles were in transport and logistics; her new position takes her into construction.

The supervisory board cites the pace of data-driven technologies as the reason for its choice. It explicitly highlights the contribution of external expertise and its ambition to lead the industry in applying these technologies. That ambition focuses on their use within Strabag’s own business.

In a report dated 17 September, cio.de says her contract runs until the end of 2030. Strabag has not disclosed a contract period.

around 20 billion euros

Strabag’s figure for group output in its announcement of the board appointment

Strabag press release, 15 September 2026

What Koenen aims to connect

Koenen describes her task as digitally connecting the decentralized international services business, driving targeted innovation and preparing the group for the future. She says the role appeals to her because Strabag is one of Europe’s largest construction groups.

The responsibilities and resources the new role will receive within this decentralized international business remain unclear. The supervisory board has named the areas it covers but has not detailed the resources. Those decisions will fall to the executive board, which Koenen joins in January. Until she takes office, Strabag lists her as an executive board member-designate.

Frequently asked questions

Is CIDO the official title?

Yes. Strabag’s own announcement is headed “Christa Koenen becomes CIDO”, and cio.de uses the title in its report.

How long does Koenen’s contract run?

cio.de reports that her contract runs until the end of 2030. Strabag has not disclosed a contract period.

How does a CIDO differ from a CIO?

A CIO is responsible for building and operating IT systems. A CIDO also oversees how digital technology changes products and processes. In practice, the distinction between the two roles varies.