Mr Sébastien Hoffmann will take over as CEO of CFL Cargo Group from July 1 2023, succeeding Mr Laurence Zenner. Hoffman joined CFL Cargo in 2009 and held several operational and managerial positions before being appointed chief operations officer (COO) in 2018. He will now play a key role in developing CFL’s activities in Luxembourg and other European countries where CFL has a presence.

Mr Webster Gonzo has been appointed acting CEO of TransNamib. Photo credit: LinkedIn

Mr Webster Gonzo has been appointed as acting CEO of TransNamib following the resignation of Mr Johnny Smith, who has become CEO of Grindrod Rail. The appointment of Gonzo comes at an important period of change for TransNamib as it continues to implement its Integrated Strategic Business Plan. The company has also started the process of recruiting a permanent CEO.

Mr Henrik Falk has been appointed CEO of Berlin Transport Services (BVG). Photo credit: Hamburg Hochbahn

Mr Henrik Falk has been appointed as CEO of Berlin Transport Services (BVG). Falk, who will take up his new post on January 1 2024, has extensive experience as member of the board of directors at Hamburg Hochbahn, of the executive committee of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) and of the executive board of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP).

Mr Andy Mellors has been appointed as managing director of Avanti West Coast. Photo credit: FirstGroup

FirstGroup has announced that Mr Andy Mellors has been appointed as managing director of Avanti West Coast (AWC) with immediate effect. Mellors succeeds First Rail managing director, Mr Steve Montgomery, who has been acting AWC managing director since September 2022. Mellors has previously held senior roles at Great Western Railway and South Western Railway and was managing director of FirstGroup’s non-franchised rail businesses.

Mr Emil Eike has been appointed managing director of Go-Ahead Group's Norwegian rail business. Photo credit: Go-Ahead Group

Go-Ahead Group has appointed Mr Emil Eike as managing director of its Norwegian rail business. Eike will take over from interim managing director, Mr Magnus Hedin, who remains board chair. Eike has 30 years’ experience as a manager in the public transport industry, including 12 years at Norwegian State Railways (NSB), and is chairman of Bybanen, Bergen’s light rail network.

Mr Brian Brennan is new chief executive of Transdev Australia - New Zealand. Photo credit: Transdev

Transdev has announced the appointment of Mr Brian Brennan as chief executive of Transdev Australia - New Zealand, where he will report to Transdev Group international CEO and group executive committee member, Mr Antoine Colas. Brennan has worked in transport in Britain, Ireland and Australia and led the team that delivered first Dublin’s Luas and then Sydney’s light rail network.

Mr Tobias Behncke is new managing director Retrack Germany. Photo credit: LinkedIn/Youtube

VTG has announced the appointment of Mr Tobias Behncke as managing director of Retrack Germany, with responsibility for the company’s pan-European traction and logistics services. Behncke has worked in the transport and rail logistics industry for 20 years and has particular experience in intermodal transport, having led the intermodal services activities of European Cargo Logistics prior to joining to VTG.

Mr Ralf Mair has been appointed managing director of ÖBB Production. Photo credit: LinkedIn

Mr Ralf Mair has been appointed as managing director of ÖBB Production for a term of three years from May 1, with the option of a two-year extension. He succeeds Mr Christian Petschar and will manage ÖBB Production as a provider of traction and other services for Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) subsidiaries. He was passenger operations manager at ÖBB from 2016.

Mr Roger Gloor is new technical department head at Nexxiot. Photo credit: Railway Age

Nexxiot has appointed Mr Roger Gloor as its technical department head. In his new post Gloor, who is president of Swiss Tank Cleaning Association (VSTRA), will expand Nexxiot’s role in the transport of liquid chemicals and dangerous good by rail and sea. His previous posts have included working as deputy head of the technical department at intermodal logistics services provider Bertschi.

Mr Jan Christoph Harder is new region west president at Škoda Group. Photo credit: Škoda Group

Mr Jan Christoph Harder has taken up the post of region west president at Škoda Group, succeeding Mr Mike Niebling who has left the group. Harder has 25 years' experience in the rail industry and has held senior positions at Siemens and Alstom.

Ms Alexa Mitchell, has been elected to the steering committee of Building Smart International’s infrastructure room. Photo credit: Railway Age

HDR’s programme manager for BIM in transport, Ms Alexa Mitchell, has been elected to the steering committee of Building Smart International’s infrastructure room, a group developing and promoting open data standards for infrastructure. Mitchell has served as technical lead for the HDR-led project to develop an open national US standard for design and construction of bridges and structures.

Mr Ron Teerlink of the Netherlands Railways (NS) supervisory board. Photo credit: LinkedIn

Mr Ron Teerlink has been appointed as a new member of the Netherlands Railways (NS) supervisory board. Among other management positions, Teerlink has been on the board of directors of ABN Amro Bank and was later chairman of the bank’s supervisory board. At NS Teerlink succeeds Mr Gerard van Aast and will become chairman of the risk and audit committee.