Following a desire to cooperate by maintaining contact with members at high level, and following the tradition of conducting a visit after the renewal of the position of the head of Spanish National Railways, the UIC Director General, Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, visited the recently appointed CEOs of Renfe Operadora, Mr Juan Alfaro Grande, and Adif, Mr Juan Bravo Rivera, on 17 March in Madrid.
The President of Renfe Operadora is simultaneously the President of the Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, the Spanish National Railways Foundation (FFE) – also a UIC member.
The meeting was held at the headquarters of Renfe Operadora and was also attended by Mr Francisco Minayo, Renfe Director General of Operations, Mr Alberto García, Renfe Director General of Development and Strategy, Mr Diego Molero, Director of the Renfe President Cabinet, Mr Miguel Nieto, Adif Director General of Corporate Business Development and Mr Fernando de Nicolás, Adif Director of International Affairs.
Mr Loubinoux was accompanied by Mr Ignacio Barrón, Director of the UIC Passenger and High Speed Department.
All the attendees considered the meeting to be extremely interesting, especially taking into account this important moment in the history of the European railway system.
During the meeting, the strong commitment to UIC’s objectives and work was confirmed on the part of all the Spanish railway actors, Renfe, Adif and FFE, as well as the other UIC members, Basque Railways (ET), Catalan Railways (FCG), Fundación Caminos de Hierro (FCH), universities and other institutions.
Spain will soon celebrate the 25th anniversary of the inauguration of the first High Speed Rail services, AVE, which started on 21 April 1992 from Madrid and Seville.
The involvement of Spanish UIC members includes not only the regular participation in the many different Forums, Platforms, Committees and other Projects and Working Groups, but also the traditional secondment of several representative from these companies to the UIC offices in Paris.
After a brief and general introduction of UIC, its history and current developments and projects, the main subjects evoked were the relationship between UIC and ERA, the relationship between UIC and the supply industry, the importance of training, the participation in the Digital Platform activities, the organisation of Next Station (the World Conference on Railway Stations, to be held in Madrid in October), the participation of Spanish Railways in high-level statutory meetings, etc.
A further meeting will shortly be scheduled in order to continue the historically strong participation of Spanish Railways in UIC’s main objectives.
Mr César López appointed new Director General of the Spanish National Railways Foundation
The Spanish Railways Foundation (FFE), in its ordinary session on 16 March, agreed to appoint Mr César López-Sánchez as the new Managing Director, taking over from Mr Alberto García Álvarez, recently appointed General Director of Development and Strategy of Renfe Operadora.
César López is a Civil Engineer and has a long career in several technical departments of Adif.
Until his appointment at the head of the management of FFE, he held the position of Deputy Director of Functional Analysis in the Project and Planning Department of Adif.
He regularly cooperates in UIC projects, conferences and congresses, particularly in High Speed Rail issues.
UIC congratulates Mr César López on his appointment and wishes him all the best in his new role.
