New rail chief won’t give up other jobs

Cornu holds board positions at Belgacom, Agfa-Gevaert and KBC, which in total brought in remuneration of €232,000 in 2012. According to Cornu, the three boards require his attendance on 21 occasions a year. However, the Belgacom board alone met 17 times last year. Cornu has given up a seat on the board of wind energy producer Electrawinds because that work was “too intensive”, he said.

Critics argue the additional responsibilities are not compatible with the task of CEO of the NMBS, which demands all of Cornu’s attention. Stefaan Van Hecke, leader of Groen in the federal parliament, said both workers and passengers “deserve a full-time rail boss. Especially given that the new head of the railways is not familiar with the rail industry. The government nominated someone without an objective selection procedure, and now it appears that person is not prepared to make himself available on a full-time basis.”

Cornu has already obtained the go-ahead of federal minister for government enterprises, Jean-Pascal Labille, who said the government had asked Cornu to give up his seat at Electrawinds but allowed the others to go ahead “provided priority was given at all times to the affairs of the NMBS.” Cornu will be paid €290,000 a year for the NMBS job.