On 22 March 2018, the Administration Board of Správa železniční dopravní cesty (Railway Infrastructure Administration - SŽDC) appointed Mr Jiří Svoboda Director General of this state organisation.

Mr Jiří Svoboda was born in 1970. After graduating from the High Technical School in Česká Třebová he started working at Československé státní dráhy (Czechoslovak State Railways) as a train dispatcher. Since 1997 he has been working in various managing positions of České dráhy (Czech Railways), at regional working places (Česká Třebová, Pardubice) and then at General Headquarters in Prague. He held managing positions at SŽDC as well: in November 2011 he became Director of the Purchase and Public Tender Section; in July 2016 he was appointed Deputy Director General for Rail Operability.

The Administration Board chose Mr Jiří Svoboda based on his high expertise and long-term experience in the field of railway transport. According to his own statement, Mr Svoboda intends in his new position to concentrate among other issues on the modernisation of regional railway lines, railway station buildings and a thorough scrutiny of current IT systems.

(Source: SŽDC)