Claude Steinmetz, director of Transdev’s rail operations in France, will take over from Albert Alday, CEO of Thello, as President of AFRA (Association française du rail). Claude Steinmetz is also Chairman of CDGVAL (Transdev Aéroport Liaisons) and of CFTA (société générale de chemins de fer et de transports automobiles), which operates mainly in Brittany (CFTA Bretagne), Auvergne (Panoramique des Dômes) and Rhône Alpes (Rhonexpress).
After working on the staff of Jean-Marie Rausch, French Minister of Foreign Trade, President of the Regional Council of Lorraine and Mayor of Metz, Claude Steinmetz was secretary general to a number of subsidiaries of the Caisse des Dépôts before becoming head of legal affairs and contractual relations of the Keolis Group.
In 2000, he joined the SNCF as director for legal and contractual affairs of “SNCF Proximités” and in 2005 he was appointed director of regional express train services (TER) in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Late in 2008, he joined Veolia Transport, which has since become Transdev, as director of rail operations for France.
On the eve of the adoption of the fourth rail package in Brussels and the culmination of negotiations on pay and conditions for French railway employees, Claude Steinmetz’s main task will be to prepare for the liberalisation of passenger transport by rail in France.
Founded in March 2009, AFRA (l’Association Française du Rail) brings together railway sector stakeholders, which consider that the French market for freight and passenger transport will only be able to develop fully within an open, competitive and regulated market.
AFRA currently has the following rail companies among its members: Arriva, CFTA, Thello, Transdev and Trenitalia in passenger transport; Colas Rail, ETF Services, DB Schenker Euro Cargo Rail, Europorte (a Eurotunnel company), OSR France (SNCB Logistics), Trenitalia, T3M in freight haulage and combined transport; OFP Atlantique and Vossloh, a rail infrastructure and technology company.
Contact : Transdev: Claude Steinmetz : Claude.STEINMETZ@transdev.com
Sophie.GENG@transdev.com – Tel. : +33 1 74 34 27 68
Contact : AFRA: Jacques Malécot : jacques.malecot@assorail.fr + 33 6 27 22 83 44