Rail Forum Europe appoints new President and Vice-President

Following a call for the appointment of a new Managing Board for Rail Forum Europe (RFE) in October 2019, Andrey Novakov has been appointed as President and Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg as Vice-President of the RFE Association. Their tenure in their respective roles will last from 2019 to 2024, with both members officially taking Office in December 2019.

RFE state: “The 39 associate members of Rail Forum Europe and its Advisory Committee strongly welcome the designation of Mr. Andrey Novakov and Ms Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg as respectively President and VicePresident of RFE. The European rail community, represented by Rail Forum Europe, looks forward to a restart of the activities of the association in 2020 under the new leadership of Mr. Novakov and Ms. Anna Deparnay-Grunenber.”

Andrey Novakov currently serves as EPP coordinator in the Committee of Regional Development (REGI), and is also on the Transport and Tourism (TRAN) and Budgetary Control (CONT) committees. Novakov became a member of the European Parliament in 2014 as one of the youngest MEPs to serve the Institution. On the topic of his appointment, he said: “It is an honour to be designated President of Rail Forum Europe for the next five years. RFE, by bringing together experts from the rail sector and policy makers, will help us to make transport more competitive and sustainable together. I look forward to work with all the companies and associations that are part of the Forum. Connectivity, investments and digitalisation are key priorities in order to make rail play a more important role in the EU transport policy.”

Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg also sits in the TRAN committee, and is additionally currently on the Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) committee. Deparnay-Grunenberg has been a member of the European Parliament since July 2019, previously a member of the city council and political group leader of the Greens. Speaking about her new role, Deparnay-Grunenberg said: “I am convinced that a powerful rail system is vital to achieve our climate goals and it is essential in general for European mobility, economy and society. For this reason I am happy to take a position in the RFE Managing Board as Vice-President. Rail Forum Europe is an ideal platform to discuss and find solutions for the main issues affecting the rail sector and propose best practices and success stories.”