Former CN CEO Mongeau to helm Norfolk Southern's board

Norfolk Southern Corp.’s board has unanimously elected former CN CEO Claude Mongeau as chairman, NS announced today.

Mongeau will chair the board's Executive Committee and resign from his positions on the Human Capital Management and Compensation and Safety committees, NS officials said in a press release.

Mongeau has served as an independent director of the NS board since 2019. He is an industry veteran with an extensive understanding of the railroad's operational, safety, strategic planning and environmental initiatives, as well as its governmental and stakeholder relations, NS officials said.

"During this critical time for our storied franchise, I look forward to collaborating with the board and know we all are committed to holding management accountable to deliver on our promises to shareholders," said Mongeau. "The board has appreciated the engagement with shareholders over the last few months and shares their urgency around enhancing service, improving network operations and broad-based productivity gains to close the gap with our peers."

From 2010 to 2016, Mongeau served as president and CEO of CN, where he drove a customer-centric based precision scheduled railroading approach. During his 22-year career at the Canadian Class I, he also was executive vice president and chief financial officer, and VP of strategic and financial planning.

At a meeting held last week, the NS board also named Francesca DeBiase, former EVP and global chief supply chain officer of McDonald's Corp., as chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee; and Richard Anderson, former president and CEO at Amtrak and former CEO at Delta Air Lines, as chair of the Human Capital Management and Compensation Committee.

DeBiase has been an independent director on the NS board since 2023; Anderson was named to the board earlier this year. He was Amtrak's president and CEO from 2017 to 2020, and Delta’s CEO from 2007 to 2016.