The combined company will be listed in France with its group headquarters in Paris area. It will be led by Alstom CEO Mr Henri Poupart-Lafarge and Siemens will hold a 50% stake in the new entity.

The business headquarters for Mobility Solutions will be located in Germany with the Rolling Stock unit based in France.

The entity will have combined revenue of €15.3bn, adjusted EBIT of €1.2 bn and an order backlog of  €61.2bn. Annual synergies of €470m are forecast within four years of financial close, which is expected to occur at the end of 2018.

The combined entity will employ 62,300 staff in more than 60 countries.

“This Franco-German merger of equals sends a strong signal in many ways," says Siemens CEO Mr Joe Kaeser. "We put the European idea to work and together with our friends at Alstom, we are creating a new European champion in the rail industry for the long term. This will give our customers around the world a more innovative and more competitive portfolio.

“The global market-place has changed significantly over the last few years. A dominant player in Asia has changed global market dynamics and digitalisation will impact the future of mobility. Together, we can offer more choices and will be driving this transformation for our customers, employees and shareholders in a responsible and sustainable way.

Poupart-Lafarge said: “Today is a key moment in Alstom’s history, confirming its position as the platform for the rail sector consolidation. Mobility is at the heart of today’s world challenges. Future modes of transportation are bound to be clean and competitive. Thanks to its global reach across all continents, its scale, its technological know-how and its unique positioning on digital transportation, the combination of Alstom and Siemens Mobility will bring to its customers and ultimately to all citizens smarter and more efficient systems to meet mobility challenges of cities and countries. By combining Siemens Mobility’s experienced teams, complementary geographies and innovative expertise with ours, the new entity will create value for customers, employees and shareholders."