Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw was fired by the railroad’s board for having a consensual relationship with a subordinate Wednesday. The board named Mark George as Norfolk Southern’s new CEO and president effective immediately.
The move to fire Shaw was spurred by an investigation that found he violated company policies by having a consensual relationship with the railroad’s chief legal officer, Nabanita Nag. Nag was also terminated, the company said.
Shaw has been with the company since 1994 and led it through the 2023 toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which resulted in the company being on the hook for large settlement payouts and the center of several probes into the accident.
Claude Mongeau, chair of the Norfolk Southern board, said it “has full confidence in Mark and his ability to continue delivering on our commitments to shareholders and other stakeholders. Mark has played an integral role in our recent progress and brings decades of financial experience and strong operational expertise.”