UIC appoints Christian Chavanel as Director of Rail System Department
Posted: 3 September 2019 | Global Railway Review | No comments yet
Dr. Marc Antoni is due to step down as Director of the Rail System Department and as such the UIC has announced the name of his successor.
The UIC, the worldwide railway organisation, has welcomed a new Director to its technical Rail System Department. Christian Chavanel will succeed Dr. Marc Antoni, who has led the department for five years.
Christian Chavanel is a railway professional with more than 30 years’ experience in international development, project management, operation, maintenance, safety, standardisation, and regulatory affairs. He is an engineer and holds an Executive MBA.
Notably, during his career, he has been the Interoperability and Standardisation Director for SNCF, Chairman of the CEN-CENELEC Sector Forum Rail (ex-JPC-R), COO (SNCF Regional Transportation), PMO (SNCF Regional Transportation) and Head of Paris Gare de Lyon station.
The UIC’s Rail System Department supports the work of the Rail System Forum which relies on its members to continuously improve the railway system. The forum is divided into six sectors dedicated to keep railways at the edge of technology and to seamlessly interconnect with other modes of transport. The Rail System Department deals with a wide range of subjects such as Train-Track Interaction, Track and Structures, Rolling Stock, Energy Management, Asset Management and Operations, Telecoms, Signalling and Digital Applications. More than 150 experts are involved in the department’s activities, which covers 78 ongoing projects.
Christian will be speaking at our Digital Rail Revolution Conference 2019 on the future of railway communications systems: 5G that will take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on 7 November.
Each year the event brings together hundreds of railway professionals from across the world to network and learn about the latest breakthroughs, innovations, challenges and solutions affecting the international railway industry including:
Big Data | Predictive maintenance | Cybersecurity | 5G | Artificial Intelligence | Autonomous trains | Hyperloop technology | Collaboration | Standards | Safety
NEW REPORT FROM GLOBAL RAILWAY REVIEW: Track Insight – Track Maintenance | Transforming Track Maintenance Through Technology
Our latest expert-led Track Insight explores how industry leaders are revolutionising the future of track maintenance through cutting-edge innovation and real-world strategies.
From automation and robotics now streamlining inspections and repairs, to predictive maintenance powered by IoT sensors and advanced analytics, the rail sector is entering a new era of precision and efficiency. Companies like Goldschmidt, Bentley Systems, and MxV Rail are leading the charge, redefining how infrastructure is managed with AI, machine learning, and digital twins to reduce downtime and extend asset life.
In this new data-rich landscape, organisations such as Amtrak and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch are demonstrating how to turn vast streams of information—from track geometry to environmental monitoring into actionable intelligence for safer, smarter networks.
Download this insightful, practical guide for FREE and see how your operations can evolve – READ FOR FREE NOW!
