Davenne succeeds Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, who has served as director general of the organisation for more than a decade.
Davenneis a graduate of Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications d’Evry and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration. Having gained experience in international satellite telecommunications, he initially held various roles in the housing sector. After three years with the French Ministry of Transport, working on railway safety and regulation with a focus on European regulations, he was elected secretary general of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (Otif) in 2012.
The UIC says Davenne will focus on improving the perception of the rail sector and on consolidating the position of the railways as the backbone of smart and decarbonised mobility.
