Eurostar announces next Chief Executive Officer

EUROPE: International high speed train operator Eurostar announced on November 2 that Gwendoline Cazenave was stepping down as CEO. Christophe Fanichet has been appointed as CEO from December 1, with Matthieu Quyollet, Chief Financial, Strategy & Transformation Officer and deputy CEO, serving as CEO in the interim.

Fanichet has held senior leadership roles for nearly 20 years within the SNCF Group. He was Chairman & CEO of the French national railway’s passenger business SNCF Voyageurs from January 2020 to July 2026, and has been a board member of Eurostar Group since 2022.

Eurostar said Fanichet brings ‘a wealth of vision and experience’ in high speed rail, international business and the opening of rail markets to competition in France and across Europe.

Cazenave’s four years as CEO covered the integration of Eurostar and Thalys under a single brand, a return to sustained growth following the pandemic, reaching 20 million passengers/year in 2025, and preparation for strategic investments in the fleet and customer experience.

This story was originally published by Railway Gazette. Read the full story at Railway Gazette →