Internet users award

For the past two years, Rémi (28) has been using his expertise in Data and Artificial Intelligence for Mass Transit mobility to serve the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Rémi and his team pioneered a data-driven approach to prepare Transilien for the 2024 Paris Olympics. As early as 2022, Datalab’ Mass Transit put forward CARTOJOP, a data visualisation solution that uses traffic forecasting data from Île-de-France Mobilités, the Transilien SNCF Voyageurs transport plan and the Olympics Organising Committee events schedule. Today, CARTOJOP and its data are at the heart of SNCF’s system to monitor passenger traffic during the Games. CARTOJOP is used in roadbooks to manage peak traffic levels in stations, in the Olympics control room to manage traffic, and at rail line management to organise passenger journeys to the 800 Olympic events served by the Transilien network. Rémi has also worked in other ways to ensure the success of the Games. Together with his team, he provided support for the design of INFOlympics, destined for the 5,000 Transilien staff deployed to the 36 Olympic stations. Since April 2024, most of his team has been working on the Games, in particular by helping to design FouloJOP to monitor passenger traffic in real time. Rémi has succeeded in mobilising a team of between five and nine people to address the key challenges of tomorrow’s mobility. As an expert, innovator and manager committed to the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Rémi is a remarkable and remarked-upon Talent.

Désiré (27) holds a Masters-level qualification in Programme and Project Management from SKEMA Business School Paris and a BBA in Global Management with a Corporate Finance subsidiary from SKEMA Business School, Nice, NC State University, Raleigh and University of Florida, Gainesville, giving him a robust academic background. Right from his earliest days working for RATP Dev in 2023 at a time of major changes within the Digital department, Désiré sought to provide structure, vision and a dynamic of progress, despite the lack of an existing organisation to manage B2C products. The more complex and incomplete the projects, the more he displayed an ability to get buy-in from internal clients and work effectively with the subsidiaries managing transport network operations. Désiré learns fast and readily shares his knowledge. He is enthusiastic, committed and engaged, taking pride in pouring his energy into public transport as he seeks to make a significant impact. His manager has noted the extent of his support throughout the year, taking on complex projects with a remarkable degree of resilience and adaptability. His ability to learn fast and adjust to different environments, his innate inquisitiveness and his constant desire to acquire new knowledge have meant that he has excelled in every project he has been involved with.

With excellent results in his Masters in Automation and Systems from USTHB Algiers, Chakib (26) has been selected for an international Masters in Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence at Paris-Saclay university. His desire to work in the field of public transport led him to apply for a work-study course with Systra for a specialised Masters in Smart Mobility from École des Ponts ParisTech and Télécom Paris. Systra is keen to extend its knowledge of AI for rail operating systems, and took on Chakib as a result. After humble beginnings in the Department, Chakib very quickly demonstrated initiative, analysing the benefits of AI and machine learning for the predictive maintenance of rail equipment. To do so, he used his AI computer programs to demonstrate how AI could be enlisted to improve predictive maintenance in the field of asset failures. He has now joined the Ferromobile project team working on the concept of electric, self-driving, shared road-rail cars, analysing whether AI can help optimise single-lane vehicle dispatching on the basis of the number of vehicles at termini, bookings, crossover points, travel times, etc.

Maximilien Guala (22) is an Apprentice Consultant for Transport, Mobility and Advocacy at Régions de France who has built up a rich and diverse career characterised by a deep commitment to public affairs, social action and mobility. His career record has been exemplary, both in his service to French Regions and in the promotion of the transport sector to all stakeholders. His actions include coordinating lobbying strategy on key topics such as infrastructures, the Mobility Orientation Act and Regional Metropolitan Express Services. He has led a network of experts, drafted strategy and monitoring briefs, and prepared a range of public events. He has provided key added value to work coordinating French Regions on major public policy issues in mobility. Maximilien is keen to pursue a career in mobility, public affairs and lobbying, with a special interest in local authorities. He would like to continue to represent their interests at EU level, drawing on his skills and his initial experience. The very best talents in the sector should be tasked with promoting the particularity of the mobility governance model and funding and the development of public transport in France and across Europe. Maximilien embodies a generation of ambitious and committed young people ready to establish mobility issues as leading social concerns.

Carolin (26) joined Transdev Germany as CSR manager just over a year ago. She holds a Masters in economics and administration with a specialisation in sustainable development. Carolin believes it is important to promote sustainability and climate action in particular, which is why she sought to work for a major company after graduation. She was keen to be involved in the field of public transport, which by nature has a sustainable business model in line with her values. Her early days with Transdev Germany were challenging because at that time there was no CSR department and no sustainable development strategy within the company in that country. Working with the newly-created German Council for Sustainable Development, she developed Transdev’s German CSR strategy during her first year with the company. To do so, she had to bring together the interests of a broad range of stakeholders and establish sustainable development goals for the coming years that were both ambitious and achievable. The resulting CSR strategy was validated by German senior management in early 2024. Carolin is now looking forward to implementing the first CSR projects with the Sustainable Development Council in 2024. She has quickly established herself as an expert in the field of CSR, managing the relevant German roadmap as well as in-house and external communications in this respect.

Alexis joined Transdev Artois Gohelle in October 2020 as a scheduling administrator. At the age of 29, he is now scheduling manager. He is currently part of the Graduate Programme in partnership with France’s National School of Public Works (ENTPE), preparing to take on operational management roles in addition to his day-to-day work. The programme provides him with an overview of how passenger transport entities are organised and is enabling him to build up valuable skills for his career and broaden his network. Alexis’ career has been characterised by his ability to manage change in complex environments. When he took up the position of planning administrator, he helped to centralise TADAO network planning at a time of restructuring. Alexis deploys a meticulous management method to deal with unforeseen circumstances whilst also being genuinely supportive of his teams and constantly attentive to employee welfare. He has taken initiatives to improve drivers’ working conditions, a subject to which he also devoted his dissertation, looking at the personalisation of schedules in particular. He is involved in a number of cross-functional projects too, thus making a significant contribution to innovation and improvement in practices within the company.

Justin Pouille (26) is CEO of ICN. With extensive knowledge of the world of transport, he quickly understood that new technology would rapidly become a decisive factor, and chose to support digitalisation of the industry. To do so, Justin has embarked on the adventure of entrepreneurship to deliver turnkey solutions geared to each of his partners. His numerous partnerships have demonstrated his reliability, dynamism and professionalism over and over again. Projects with these partners have often been complex, involving a large number of parameters and stakeholders. Justin has a unique combination of people skills, cutting-edge technical knowledge and coordination abilities. He has also demonstrated a love for his job, attentiveness to his partner stakeholders in mobility and the desire to assist and support them in their constantly-changing sectors.

Thibaut (29) is a train driver manager, in charge of Sarreguemines train drivers since mid-2021. In the course of his job he has had to rise to a major challenge with preparations for the introduction of the Paris/Vienna night train, which entered service in December 2021, followed by its Paris/Berlin counterpart in December 2023. To do so, he brought together some 10 drivers with experience on regional trains, upskilling them so that they were in a position to operate from Mannheim to Paris over a range of different routes (via Strasbourg, Forbach, Trier, etc.). To achieve this result, Thibaut had to acquire complex skills such as familiarity with Mannheim Rangierbahnhof (the second-largest marshalling yard in Germany), operation with in-cab guidance on the German network (LZB), specific training on the BR185 locomotive and more. He then broke down this knowledge for drivers by preparing and organising training days and route studies. He was able to create a group dynamic and facilitate information-sharing, in particular by setting up a Team summarising information and documentation and sharing experience (attached). Over and above his exemplary managerial support, he has also earned the recognition of our partners (SVDE) and clients (DEDI, ÖBB). Today, he is being called on for his expertise in the preparation of new projects such as the Orient Express and the management of disruptions and crises (see attached).

Jérôme (28) is Director of Sales at Iris intelligent sensing SASU and a genuine public transport enthusiast. In just five years devoted to public transport, he has already become a recognised figure in the field. Most of his career in the world of transport has been with Iris, and he is now fully familiar with their solutions, answering even the most specific and challenging questions with ease. His in-depth knowledge of the technology and on-board technology in general have enabled him to move quickly up the ranks and work very successfully in both sales and technical positions. As well as speaking several languages, Jérôme is a demanding technician and a salesman at heart, bringing together a rare skill set that is particularly suited to our sector. He has also proved himself to be an unrivalled partner for his clients, who see him as trustworthy and most importantly highly competent and well abreast of all the latest innovations. In addition to being an approachable team leader, Jérôme is above all an enthusiast who remains committed to his mobility stakeholder clients.

Théo (25) is Deployment Manager France at SBRS, a Shell subsidiary specialising in charging infrastructures for electric buses and HGVs. With over four years’ experience in heavy electric mobility, he has coordinated several ambitious projects, including commissioning the first HGV charging station for a Shell client in France. This among other achievements bears witness to his creativity and agility in identifying the right solutions to meet the challenges of the energy transition. In addition, his role has consisted in setting up the entire value chain for SBRS in France. Théo is also working hand-in-hand with key influencers in public entities and bus manufacturers to develop outstanding charging solutions.

Roger Thierry’s career in sustainable transport is a testimony to his commitment to green, inclusive mobility. His flagship project has involved the setting up of an innovative, sustainable transport system in Cameroon based on a collaborative approach with former civil servants, entrepreneurs, project developers, financial experts and specialists in urban mobility, in partnership with companies including Scania, Total Energies and RHT. Their initiative aims to cut carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency by using bioNGV (biomethane), electric vehicles and innovative charging infrastructures. Intercitybluebus has already made significant progress, in particular in the creation of interconnected transport networks and the optimisation of journeys to minimise congestion and travel times. Africa is rich in resources but faces development challenges: insufficient infrastructure, unchecked urban development and limited access to modern technology. Their solutions must therefore be innovative and geared to local realities, taking into account the continent’s specific economic and environmental constraints. Roger Thierry’s personal commitment is rooted in his conviction that sustainable mobility is vital to the future of cities and of the planet itself. With over two decades’ experience in mobility, he has built up expertise in project management, urban planning and sustainable development. He is convinced that this sustainable transport project can serve as a model for other regions seeking environmentally-friendly solutions.

Michael began his career with TRANSDEV Netherlands in 1998 as a coordinator in the on-demand transportation division. He has occupied several positions over the course of his career: account manager, depot manager, member of the tender response team and, since 2018, member of the project team. He has managed a large number of projects, including the reintroduction of self-driving vehicles, the commissioning of zero-emission vehicles and several others. Michael enjoys sharing his knowledge and has trained over 60 colleagues in project management. All the projects on which Michael has worked have been a success for the company: he brings everybody on board, is direct, and keeps to the time allocated for each project. He can manage challenging changes (e.g. those involving legacy IT) in harmony with the company. Michael is well-known for his team spirit, management skills and in-depth industry knowledge as well as his positive attitude and sense of humour.

After completing a Masters in International management, Omar built up robust experience managing a range of projects in the automotive industry and heavy industry, allowing him to develop skills in process optimisation and supply chain management. Today, he has added a digital dimension to his projects, incorporating innovative solutions to address companies’ current and future challenges. After a personal epiphany, Omar followed in the footsteps of his father by becoming an entrepreneur, leaving an enriching career as an executive to set up his own company in the field of digital technology: NEWAY, an award-winning start-up dedicated to reinventing sustainable mobility. With its innovative application, NEWAY centralises all urban mobility offerings within France’s main cities (with 220 partners and 700 towns and cities), allowing users to choose the most appropriate means of transport for their needs whilst keeping their carbon footprint to a minimum. This is not something new for him inasmuch as he had previously set up an IT company, a further example of his enthusiasm and commitment to creation and innovation.

Since 2019, Isabelle has been responsible for the Transilien Nudge Unit, the first applied behavioural science innovation lab for public transport in France. This unique initiative sheds new light on passenger behaviour, helping to build mobility of the future placing people at the centre of its concerns through experimentation. At the heart of rail operations, Isabelle is engaged in the complex, multi-stakeholder environment of mobility, taking up the challenge of making room for behavioural science in an industrial world governed by standards and regulations. Isabelle manages major projects relating to footfall in stations, antisocial behaviour, safety, inclusion and more, following requests from top management and in-field managers or on her own initiative. She co-builds her projects on a short-term basis (approximately six months) and develops feedback that enhances our expertise as a transport operator with the added value of nudges. Once initial tests are completed, Isabelle can roll out schemes in other stations too, despite the challenges of no two situations being the same. To combat antisocial behaviour, Isabelle managed a project to redefine certain spaces by giving them a new identity. The result was an 81% drop in urine and lower maintenance costs. Some twenty stations in Ile de France have benefited from the solution. Isabelle has succeeded in making behavioural science a key skill and a competitive advantage for Transilien. She is a regular speaker at international conferences and in other companies, where she explains how this initiative works.

Pierre is an expert in hydrogen refuelling stations with Hydrogen Refueling Solutions (HRS); he has proved to be an excellent coordinator with an ability to lead and motivate teams to achieve ambitious goals. Fully persuaded that hydrogen is a solution to decarbonise heavy mobility, he joined HRS when it launched its hydrogen business and in 2021, oversaw installation of the first HRS station. With a new station being commissioned every 10 weeks, Pierre’s commitment made it possible to complete 18 installations to diversify hydrogen mobility. Over 6,600 vehicles have been fuelled in the space of three years, including buses, trucks, taxis, and LCVs. Pierre now heads up a team of seven people. His first project was to develop a refuelling solution for a fleet of forklifts in a retail chain’s logistics hub without interrupting the normal workflow. He then developed three more sites in Europe. He has also overseen hydrogen stations for intensive use by cars for Hype and their fleet of taxis in built-up areas. More recently, he was in charge of the project to set up a modular, mobile station for the 2024 Olympics to fuel a fleet of cars and buses. He is presently working on a highly innovative project: the installation of the largest simultaneous refuelling station for buses in France.

Since the Paris Agreement, national governments and local authorities have been preparing their strategies for combating climate change – and have identified transport as a key sector for decarbonisation. Laurane, who was working in Sydney, thus had the opportunity to combine her job with her personal convictions. She hit on the idea of putting together a multidisciplinary team specialising in mobility decarbonisation. In a challenge to her company’s traditional organisational structure, she suggested a team straddling different business lines. WSP management deemed her project worthwhile and allowed her to bring together WSP experts locally and worldwide. She underwent technical training and led the team in responding to calls for tender related to this issue. Mission accomplished: Laurane has acted as a catalyst for the WSP expert network, creating a team that provides cutting-edge advice and local and international feedback. Together with the team, she has successfully completed a large number of projects for which she provides technical leadership. She has gone on to make the most of her return to Europe to import this expertise, developing our local skills by applying her international knowledge and experience. She is leading a number of projects and initiatives at the same time: adapting digital tools (EV-READY), taking on consultancy missions and giving talks promoting decarbonisation at conferences and specialised tradeshows.

Anne-Sylvie Ginet is acclaimed for her leadership, her outstanding project management, her ability to mobilise stakeholders and lead teams, and her customer-centric attitude. Her commitment and professionalism have made a significant contribution to innovation and improvements in mobility services, making her an undisputed leader in the field. She has managed a large number of bespoke projects geared to the needs of her customers. Supported by her teams and partners, in the space of three months Anne-Sylvie set up a website, two online stores, a tourist MaaS solution and sales terminals in Chamonix whilst at the same time rolling out a mobility call centre in a contract for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region. Her ability to bring together stakeholders (direct clients, mobility authorities and development teams) around a shared vision and stakeholder mobilisation have been determining factors in the success of these projects. Anne-Sylvie also knows how to adjust to the particularities of each locality as well as to seasonal fluctuations in business, putting forward agile, effective solutions that demonstrate her adaptability. Her attentiveness to the needs of customers, whether they are operators or institutional players, demonstrates her customer-centric approach and allows her to deliver just the right solutions.

As Eole Project Director for SNCF Réseau since 2012, serving 650,000 passengers per day, Xavier has transformed mobility in Ile-de-France for 3 million passengers daily with faster journey times, less network congestion, and better coverage and accessibility. Phase 1 was completed on 6 May 2024 with the commissioning of the RER E line to the new station at Nanterre la Folie serving new underground stations at Porte Maillot and La Défense. Xavier has acted as the ‘captain’ of this unprecedented project in the Paris region, one of the densest urban environments in the world. Right from the first phase, this has involved exceptional technical challenges (installing a structure the size of a skyscraper beneath the Centre of New Industries and Technologies building at La Défense capable of bearing the latter’s 100,000- tonne weight), weather-related challenges (two exceptional floods) and geological and urban challenges (multiple aboveground projects at Porte Maillot) against the backdrop of a global health crisis. All these challenges were addressed thanks to the mindset and coordination ethos developed by the Client and the latter’s boss, Xavier Gruz. He is especially proficient in co-building, enlisting all the stakeholders (Client, Project Management, Contractors), coordinating with related projects and engaging in co-activity (whereby civil engineering, rail engineering and finishings & fittings are all carried out simultaneously to keep to schedule), all underpinned by collective intelligence.

Fiona Guthrie successfully managed a large number of projects during her three years with RATP Dev Transit London, the most significant of which was the Garage Life Programme (GLP). The aim of this innovative project managed by Fiona was to encourage people who had never had a bus driver’s licence to train as bus drivers. Garage Life is a four-week programme with 23 modules that includes classroom learning, observation courses and Q&A sessions with an experienced driver; recruits are also immersed in the garage they will be working out of once their training is complete. Trainees meet their future supervisors and the many other staff members working in the garage. Previously, new drivers had no idea of who their colleagues would be once they had completed their training. After passing their driving test, new recruits would arrive at the garage, receive driver training and quickly start work. This approach left drivers feeling unsupported, isolated, and excluded from the general camaraderie, making it more likely that they would quit having barely started their new career. It took guts for Fiona to take on this project; nothing like it had ever been tried before by RATP Dev Transit London or any other London bus operator, and doubts about its effectiveness had been voiced. After three months, GLP improved retention rates considerably, bringing the number of drivers leaving the company down to 6% compared to 15.5% for those not benefiting from the programme. New drivers also feel more welcome and supported from the outset, which boosts morale.

Christine graduated from the Paris City School of Engineering in 2006. She has devoted her entire career to transport engineering; soon after starting out, she turned to mobility-related projects. She began working on upstream transport studies in France and abroad (Morocco, Vietnam, Lebanon, Congo, Albania, Azerbaijan and elsewhere), working on Urban Travel Plans, Programme Studies, Consultancy for Mobility Operators and various tramway project feasibility studies. She increasingly sought to be involved in operational projects, refocusing more especially on project management for tramway projects, in particular for Ile De France Mobilité. In 2021, she became project director for the tram line extension from Aubagne to La Bouilladisse, a €120m project currently advancing at great pace and due to enter service in late 2025. At the start of the works phase, she became project manager for the extension of Marseille’s T2 tram line to Place du 4 Septembre, coordinating studies that are presently at the basic engineering design stage. With a keen sense of organisation, risk management and client relations, she has all the qualities required to successfully manage highly complex projects with an inspiring, proactive management style.

Louis has over 20 years’ experience in the rail industry. In 2011, he managed the project to allow high-speed trains to travel between France and Spain, facilitating interactions and the transport of thousands of passengers. From 2014 to 2017, he supervised the start of commercial operation of Régio2N trains in every region of France, thus modernising and optimising regional transport. In 2017, Louis took over the RERNG project for part of RER line E. In October 2020 he joined Masteris (a subsidiary of SNCF Voyageurs) to lead an unprecedented mid-life programme known as OPTER, which will see 40% of the TER regional train fleet renovated over the next eight years in a huge project totalling 9 million hours of work during which up to 55 trainsets will be out of service at the same time in SNCF Voyageurs’ Rolling Stock Department industrial maintenance facilities. The aim is to dismantle, overhaul and modernise these trains after some twenty years in service, restoring them to virtually new condition for an additional 15-20 years of service life. The renovation also includes significant improvements in energy use, putting the project in step with environmental and sustainability concerns.

Since March 2021 Jérôme has been in charge of the IT for Energy Transition unit within RATP’s bus2025 programme. The goal of the programme (the only one of its kind in Europe) is to complete energy transition for 4,800 buses, providing a clean fleet powered by electricity and NGV. With a staff of 7, the IT unit’s mission is to deliver IT solutions to operate these new buses and identify and test innovations in partnership with RATP Group’s Innovation department. Jérôme has implemented a cybersecurity policy for new connected systems for NGV and electric buses, spanning everything from risk analysis to setting up a technical and organisational solution for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In partnership with EDF subsidiary DREEV, he has also launched an experimental smart charging initiative for several electric bus garages. The principle involves adjusting bus charging to within a quarter of an hour, targeting times of day when electricity is cheapest and generated from the least carbon-intensive production sources – without impacting operations. Results in 2023 were promising, with 10% savings on energy bills and an improvement in the carbon footprint equivalent to 25 Paris-New York return flights.

Kordeve started work in Gaziantep city council’s transport department as director of the Transport Coordination Centre (UKOME), Transport Planning, and Transport in 2007. He has been involved with rail system projects and implementation and specialises in transport and traffic. He has also been a speaker at several conferences, explaining the importance of planning in the field of transport. Kordeve has completed a large number of projects relating to intersections, corridors and traffic planning in Gaziantep, paying special attention to planning focusing on pedestrians, bikes and public transport. Before a route was launched, in his capacity as the city’s cycling coordinator Kordeve presented the rules governing cycling in urban traffic to those using a bike in this way for the first time. He has also put forward solutions to the problems and challenges of driving, particularly when involving stops, and emphasised the importance of cycling in terms of its benefits to human health and improvements in quality of life. In 2021, he took part in the Cycling For All project with the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. As a result, Kordeve has been able to help produce a cycle strategy plan for the city of Gaziantep, coordinating internal and external stakeholders during projects.

With an engineering background and currently working as project manager for France’s Directorate-General for Infrastructure, Transport, and Mobility (DGITM), Mélanie has been coordinating a complex and significant project for single ticketing since its design phase in late 2022 through to its current operational rollout. With a tight deadline of 3 months, she took on the complex organisation of a hackathon to acquire a greater understanding of users’ needs and expectations. Mélanie then set up a working group to co-build a two-year operational roadmap for the project. After organising a stakeholder consultation with technical departments, politicians, transport operators, experts, industrial players, etc. she launched a call for expressions of interest to identify and enlist various pilot territories in France. Several discussions were also set up with EU partners working on similar topics, resulting in a workshop with some forty participants from a range of backgrounds across Europe in late October 2023. Mélanie has managed two calls for tender. Last but not least, Mélanie took the initiative of organising a national event in June 2024 in which some one hundred representatives of local authorities, operators, digital providers and the media took part. Her skills, particularly in terms of leadership, project and team management, initiative and communication, and her sense of service are recognised both within the Ministry and more broadly within the transport stakeholder ecosystem in general. She has broadened the influence of the ‘Single ticket’ project beyond France such that it is now also receiving attention across Europe.

On 1 September 2021 Larisse was appointed Project Manager by SNCF Gares & Connexions to set up the in-station assistance booking platform for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility in accordance with Article 28 of France’s Mobility Orientation Act. The challenge was to establish a single point of contact within SNCF Gares & Connexions covering all bookings for assistance for this category of user and for all transport companies in France. The complex project involved bringing together 17 customer service centres and a large number of stakeholders, including some ten transport companies and new entrants, all France’s regional Transport Authorities, government departments (Data Marketing Association, DGITM) and disability and reduced-mobility non-profits to co-build the solutions together. For the new system to become operational, over thirty sources of information had to be connected; telephone tools and a service management console had to be recreated, and customer journeys from distribution and transport companies’ websites had to be redefined. Officially launched on budget and on time on 10 January 2024, the new service (known as Assist’engare) is operated via two physical facilities with a total staff of almost 90 that is open 24/7. Six months on, almost 480,000 contacts have been handled and over 1 million services booked. In terms of service levels, 92% of all calls are answered within less than 90 seconds; the average call duration is less than 8 minutes; customer satisfaction is now around 96%.

Having joined Transdev in 2017, Bart played an essential role in the technical aspect of the Take Charge project for the control and capacity maintenance of our fleet’s batteries. He is constantly in search of new opportunities and partnerships with existing stakeholders (e.g. universities) to attract young talent to the sector. He is highly innovative and a driving force in the use of AI in mobility. Bart has the ability to explain complex technical solutions clearly, enabling his team and internal and external stakeholders to understand and leverage this information. Bart is well known in the industry for his skills and capabilities: during industry collective bargaining agreement negotiations on how rosters are drawn up, he played a significant role in the procedure; both sides trusted him.

Aline took charge of SYSTRA France’s System Assurance Department in July 2023, since when she has managed a team of 18, coordinating the Department’s output, quality monitoring and technology watch and upskilling her teams. As an experienced engineer, she has been conducting operational safety analysis for rail for 12 years. These studies have covered CBTC systems for metros, the development of a generic product, and line modernisation projects for the Brussels and Stockholm metros. For the past three years, Aline has been involved with the Grand Paris Express and Avenir Metro Lyon projects in the field of automated system monitoring as part of project management. For several months, she has been RAMS manager for project management of the entire Grand Paris Express project covering rolling stock, automated driving systems and maintenance vehicles.

With an engineering degree from Polytech Orléans and a PhD in physics from ENSMA (École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d’Aérotechnique), Pascal began his career with RATP in the 2000s as an expert in ventilation and smoke removal for underground station infrastructures and tunnels. He quickly rose to a management position, becoming operations manager for Paris metro line 13 (carrying some 130 million passengers per year) and then Director for metro line 8 and then line 13 in 2011 and 2014 respectively. Since 2019, he has been Head of Angers Loire Métropole’s Irigo network, managing a workforce of over 600 (80% drivers and maintenance staff, 20% sales staff, local managers, executives and senior executives). He has been outstanding as a manager, working closely with his staff to create tramway lines B and C and restructure bus routes (with a resulting 20% increase in passenger traffic) as well as managing all Irigo employees on a daily basis. He has succeeded in mobilising senior executives, executives and local managers to improve managerial practices and service levels alike. As a result, absenteeism has fallen by 2% to one of the lowest levels in France, around 7%. There has been a particular effort to provide more training (3% compared to the more usual 2%). Clearly inspired by his values as a former rugby player (enthusiasm, solidarity, discipline and respect) Pascal has combined project management and team management and taken the entire company along with him in the process.

Having worked for SNCF from 1998 to 2016 (in particular as Head of International Commercial Development and High-Speed Rail and as director of the Paris Rive-Gauche infrastructure centre with a staff of 850), in 2016 Jean-Bruno then took over MESEA, a maintenance company responsible for the Southern Europe/Atlantic high-speed line. Having recruited the entire workforce of 220 and seen the line enter service successfully in 2017, he took the company to outstanding levels, achieving an excellent operational availability rate of 99.7% and triple ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certification. Jean-Bruno has established a strong culture of health and safety at work (with no lost time injuries since March 2023) and has demonstrated remarkable environmental commitment (with a 28% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions between 2018 and 2023 and a target of 90% by 2030), as well completely halting the use of phytosanitary products since 2021. He has inspired a culture of innovation in terms of organisation, processes, equipment, data mining and artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance, making MESEA one of Europe’s leading rail maintenance companies. He successfully coordinated all stakeholders to create the MESEA Académie (accredited by rail safety organisation EPSF), providing training in HS maintenance and rail safety since 2018. Jean-Bruno has also committed to societal issues, setting up an SEA Fund to preserve biodiversity, cut greenhouse gas emissions and encourage social and professional insertion, as well as entering into an agreement with the French National Guard to facilitate the commitment and availability of reservists. He has engaged a large number of actions in favour of diversity and improving the gender balance.

Martin has been director of the public and shared transport authority since it was set up in 2018. He has a clear idea of where to head and how to achieve the modal share goals that Wallonia has set itself for 2030. He knows how to identify the most relevant trends in terms of mobility, budgets, the legal framework, human resources, and team organisation. Martin has demonstrated both conviction and attentiveness in setting up the Public Service Agreement between the Wallonia Region and its sole operator, Opérateur de Transport de Wallonie; the team has constantly expanded and progressed since 2018. Martin has established a stress-free and highly collaborative dynamic in a team of 25 made up of people from a variety of backgrounds, with the ability to make himself available to guide, encourage and motivate them and provide support in the event of any difficulties. He has also demonstrated trust in his team for the successful completion of joint projects and is aware of the needed organisational changes within the administration to achieve more intermodal mobility. Martin has also shown himself to be insightful, adaptable and capable of working with other managers and teams whilst also supporting his own teams through the various changes put in place.

Corinne is Head of Training for Transdev France and Director of the in-house apprenticeship training centre Académie by Transdev. She began her career 20 years ago in passenger transport and has never looked back! After 10 years in operational management of safety and the prevention of antisocial behaviour on the network – a position rooted in local operations and urban policy – since 2000 Corinne has turned to employee skills development. Today, she is leading Transdev France’s dynamic management team and its Académie by Transdev training centre, expanding the apprenticeship training facility. The creation of Académie by Transdev has already enabled 8,000 Transdev employees a year to benefit from skills development, including 700 new drivers, over 2,000 of whom have received training since the setting up of the apprenticeship training centre. She shares the conviction that the best enablers of employee performance are mutual trust, generous experience-sharing, recognition, meaningful work and good humour. Today, Corinne manages a team of over 40 people including course directors, experts in education and e-learning, curriculum managers, training managers and others, all of them addressing issues relating to transport and its future. In this capacity, she was highly involved alongside UTP in preparing a submission to France 2030’s call for expressions of interest, and is actively working on the development and implementation of rail training. This is a new challenge that she has seized with energy and conviction, taking her teams with her as she does so.

Nicolas is Project Director, Architect and Co-Founder of PICNIC Kiosque, managing and coordinating projects alongside his work as an architect. He has successfully coordinated a team of some ten people covering everything from design to production to meet all customer requirements. Moventia was looking for a travelling sales agency that could easily be moved all over France by anybody with a standard driving licence. For this particular project, Nicolas served both as designer and as project manager, establishing all the customer’s specific needs (made in France with high-quality materials from short-circuit sources, an innovative design, etc.). The PICNIC Kiosque is a sustainable, solar-powered mobile solution that meets the customer’s specifications.

Alfonso holds a civil engineering degree from the Technical University of Madrid with a specialisation in transport. He is also a member of the board of directors of UITP and of Spanish transport operator ATUC’s executive board. Since July 2019, he has been CEO of Madrid city’s transport company EMT, where he is playing an essential role in the modernisation and improvement of surface urban transport in the city. Alfonso has set himself the goal of EMT Madrid becoming a leading, smart, sustainable and environmentally-neutral company in every aspect of its business, business lines, and actions. With this in mind, he has structured his management around the following pillars: ecological transformation and transition (‘green’ rolling stock, sustainable infrastructure, sustainable mobility) and digital transformation and innovation (technology and systems to deliver mobility focused on ESG, customers and training). Alfonso and his team also devised EMT’s 2021-2025 strategic plan, the roadmap defining the above goals in the medium and long term and the steps required to achieve them. This plan will give EMT Madrid a clear picture of the organisation. For the first time in its history, EMT Madrid has secured EU funding worth €170 million.

Fabio has emerged as a leader in his capacity as CEO of Hidral Gobel, and deserves recognition for his ongoing commitment to innovation in the field of transport. His vision of universal transport accessible to all has redefined industry norms, ensuring that mobility is not seen as a luxury but as a universal right. Under his leadership, Hidral Gobel has experienced significant growth, expanding its global reach and increasing its impact on communities that were previously marginalised in terms of access to transport. Fabio was among the first to implement cutting-edge technology to improve transport system efficiency and sustainability. This constant innovation has enabled the company to grow not only in terms of profitability, but also in its environmental and social responsibility commitments. Furthermore, Fabio’s attachment to cooperation and team development has strengthened the corporate culture, attracting and retaining talents who buy into the company’s mission of making transport available to all. His ability to anticipate market needs and adjust the company’s strategic orientation accordingly has been crucial at a time of fast-moving changes and global economic challenges. Fabio’s strategic vision and resilience have allowed Hidral Gobel to survive and indeed flourish as he advocates a business model that places a priority on people and the planet.

In his capacity as director of RATP’s Bus2025 programme, for three years now François has been heading up a team of over 60 people committed to converting the Paris bus fleet to greener energy. Before taking the helm of the programme, he spent four years in the central electrification team, having built it up himself from scratch. Back in 2017, bus fleet electrification had not yet reached the industrial phase and it had become necessary to entrust the programme to people with a range of skills so as to ensure that expertise in electrification of existing bus garages could be acquired. François recruited project managers with experience in electricity production, transport systems and tramway infrastructure (in which he himself had experience). As well as ensuring that the team spanned multiple technologies, he insisted on the inclusion of non-technical professionals such as urban planners and contract managers. After a total of seven years devoted to energy transition for buses, François is now a respected key leader in the field of green mobility, having played a decisive role in securing the support of the European Commission in the form of three subsidies totalling €54.5 million. For Paris Olympic Games, nearly 2,000 clean buses (electric and biomethane) are already serving the Île-de-France region and, by the end of 2024, moe than 20 RATP operated bus depots across the region will be fully converted to either electricity or biomethane.

Antoine has devoted his entire career to public transport within the Keolis Group, having started out in 1979 as a maintenance and operations technician in Tours and finishing up in June 2024 as CEO of the same subsidiary. A genuine transport enthusiast, he has occupied various operations and management positions in subsidiaries in Laval, Concarneau and Lorient. From 2000 to 2017 he was the Keolis Group’s Operations Director, playing a key role in the modernisation and professionalisation of the industry by drafting manuals and procedures and promoting co-building workshops to encourage more effective cooperation between transverse functions and subsidiaries in order to deliver better operational excellence. Antoine’s professionalism and charisma have made him a leading figure within Keolis, acknowledged and respected by all and earning the trust of the Group’s senior management and the politicians with whom he has come into contact.

Having joined SNCF in 1994, Joël has spent exactly 30 years with the company, a fitting period over which to assess and pay tribute to his outstanding career promoting ticketing and mobility. Joël has been behind a great many innovations seeking to exploit new technology facilitating passenger journeys, including the use of NFC technology from as early as 2005 and the patented invention (in 2014) of customers validating their own tickets on their mobile devices. He has also made an active contribution alongside his peers in an association set up to draft the specifications for the first ever interoperable ticket card, the first stage in the implementation of French standard NFP 99-45 and as such the foundation of the international Calypso standard and ticketing interoperability between networks. This de facto standard is now in use in 125 cities and regions worldwide.

Over 20 years ago, Yves decided to devote himself to developing responsible, sustainable mobility. As Hydrogen Station Expert for Hydrogen Refueling Solutions (HRS) he has trained many players in the industry. In 1998, Yves joined Air Liquide where in 2002 he began to work on the use of hydrogen for mobility. He was the first technician to be in charge of operating and adjustment tests for the first hydrogen refuelling station in France. For ten years, Yves has helped promote hydrogen stations at major international events. In 2013, he installed a demonstrator station in Strasbourg to raise awareness among MEPs of the relevance of hydrogen to mobility. In 2015, he installed a station on Place de l’Alma in Paris for the COP21 summit which later went on to refuel the first ever hydrogen-powered fleet of taxis in France. He has overseen the installation of many such stations worldwide and designed the first HRS14 station in 2019 for HRS. He also launched the first HRS station for Total before training all the commissioning teams. Today, Yves works in HRS’ R&D centre alongside other members of the hydrogen industry to test their technology and accelerate the deployment of hydrogen mobility. Yves has devoted his career to hydrogen for mobility, borne by the desire to work for the common good and have a meaningful career.

Manu began his career at Transdev in 1992. Working in the mobility sector for over 30 years has enabled him to become the versatile manager he is today. Manu has occupied a number of positions in different public transport companies and has been CEO of Transdev Netherlands since 2021. This position gives him considerable influence in the mobility sector since he serves in various capacities alongside different stakeholders. He always insists on the importance of the mobility sector as a whole, above and beyond Transdev and its own interests. As well as being recognised by external stakeholders, Manu is also visible (unsurprisingly so, since he is almost 2 metres tall) and approachable for colleagues from every operational entity.

With a Masters from the Paris School of Urban Planning, Lionel began his career in 1986 at RATP. With a passion for urban planning and getting the most beautiful city in the world moving, he started out as a manager in the maintenance department before becoming operations manager for several metro lines over a period of over 20 years. Committed to the public interest at local level, he served as a trustee of the RATP Foundation and then Logis-Transports for the best part of three years. Returning to public transport, he became director of the Commercial and Strategy Department for the Orlyval line running between Anthony and Orly airport in 2012. Lionel also took on quality management, setting out to obtain ISO 9001 certification followed by EFQM accreditation (one of the most demanding in the world) and pulling off the twofold challenge of making Orlyval a global reference in terms of organisation and passenger satisfaction. He then became manager of RD Orly 2024 to operate the first Grand Paris Express station, where metro lines 14 and 18 terminate. Prior to opening, Lionel put together an operational team of women and men to give assurance to Ile-de-France Mobilités that the station would open on time with high service levels. After spending time in maintenance, operations, marketing and as a non-profit trustee, Lionel has become the director of a subsidiary with an international influence.

Hervé is a senior transport expert working for SYSTRA France. With over 40 years’ experience in the field of guided transport, his career beginnings at RATP made him familiar with the design, manufacture and maintenance of metro, express regional metro and tram rolling stock. He also developed skills in transmission networks (telephony, data networks, centralised technical management (CTM), SCADA Supervision and Data Acquisition) in the field of rail transport. At SYSTRA, he has managed the Tramway product line and coordinated the Tramway business network and served as a manager in multinational teams in Egypt, the UK and the Philippines. His work in the capacity of Project Manager has given him experience in planning and budget management as well as in the coordination of multidisciplinary teams. His experience in transport systems has led to him having sales development responsibilities in several European countries for transport projects spanning all modes, for upstream phases such as feasibility and business studies as well as downstream phases including preliminary design, construction design, examining industrial bids and system commissioning. Hervé is also highly involved in capitalisation and passing on skills to younger generations.

Claudio joined SOLEA in 1986 as an electrician in the bus workshop. After being promoted to team leader, he helped develop versatile teams of mechanics. 2006, Claudio contributed to the successful inauguration of a tramway in his capacity as head of the tramway maintenance team, and defined and detailed maintenance processes. He then took over the Tramway maintenance unit and became a manager. Sharing his knowledge and helping his people grow are his constant concerns. In 2010 for the inauguration of the tram-train in the Mulhouse district he was involved in setting up the maintenance contract with SNCF and adapting the workshop to comply with SNCF standards. After becoming technical manager in charge of maintenance of all rolling stock, he streamlined the practices of different workshops. In 2020, Claudio became Technical Director. One figure serves to summarise the operational excellence that Claudio has established: 0.3, the failure ratio per 10,000 km involving disruption for customers. Claudio also embodies human values, participatory management, and natural empathy and supportiveness. He has made himself available to the Transdev Group, who have drawn on his expertise to solve technical problems and respond to calls for tender from Melbourne to Dublin via Reims. As a devotee of innovation, he is a member of the ‘Vehicles of the Future’ centre set up by Haute-Alsace University, where he informs thinking on topics such as self-driving cars. As the driving force behind a joint project undertaken by Transdev Group, SOLEA, Tallano and Iveco on recovering brake dust, he has achieved a world first in retrofitting.

Born in Calais in 1949, Daniel has been CEO of the STCE network since 1998. He began his career in 1967 as an apprentice mechanic; by persevering over the years he obtained a mechanic’s NVQ and went on to become team leader, workshop supervisor, head of operations and finally manager. Successfully coordinating an organisation in which each employee plays their part, Daniel is committed to upholding his management philosophy and vision of transport and public service on a daily basis. “My greatest source of pride is to have made those I work with aware that our network is achieving ambitious goals”. People who visit the Calais network are struck by how competent and pleasant our staff are. Of course they are not alone in this, but their motivation and commitment enable them to take full ownership of their respective jobs. Their work is now widely acclaimed by the company, passengers and the local authority alike. Local residents are keenly aware that the company works to serve them. Daniel is guided by two everyday obsessions: taking care of his teams, taking the pulse to maintain a healthy climate and maintaining local residents’ trust. “It’s important to be observant, attentive, and supportive for both employees and the general public”.

Francesco, who is celebrating his eightieth birthday this year, has devoted fifty years to the world of transport in Catalonia. He has spent his entire working life improving and innovating in passenger transport, including the design of the first vehicles geared specifically to Catalonia in the 1990s (encouraging their use with innovative marketing campaigns) and constantly seeking ways to improve operational efficiency, comfort and user safety. His other noteworthy achievements include the creation of the first T-10 pass in the 1980s, the introduction of ramps for persons of reduced mobility and the rollout of smart cards in the 1990s. Today, Sagalés carries over 23 million passengers on a range of different road transport services, with a team of 1,280 professionals and a modern fleet comprising over 600 vehicles.