Alain Flausch was elected as President of the International association of Public Transport (UITP) during UITP’s 58th World Congress in Vienna in June 2009.
This election acknowledges the long-standing engagement of Mr Flausch on the international stage. Member of the UITP Policy Board and of the Metro Division of UITP, Mr Flausch is also the president of the Belgium Union of Regional Public Transports (UBTCUR) which gathers the three national public transport companies.

CEO of the Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles (STIB), the public transport company of Brussels, since April 2000, Mr Flausch has lead this company through an in-depth cultural change, conducting a complete renewal both of the commercial approach and of the corporate management, setting a new company culture where clients are at the very heart of the service provision for the 6,500 staff members. Since 1999, STIB has gained 70% ridership.
From September 1973 to January 1982 Mr Flausch was an attorney at the cabinet Simont Gutt & Simont in Brussels.
From February 1982 to March 1990, he held the position of Deputy General Manager with the Chemical Belgian Group Prayon-Rupel.
From April 1990 to 1999 Alain Flausch joins IP Belgium, the first media sales house in Belgium, as Managing Director.
Mr Flausch was born in Brussels on November 1950. He still lives in the Belgium capital. He is a lawyer and holds a Master from the University of Berkeley (California).

Alain Flausch is married and father of two children. His centres of interest include all different forms of arts and culture as well as political history. Mr Flausch is also engaged in favour of nature preservation.

Hans Rat has been the Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) since 19 June 1998, having his contract renewed for a third term in 2006. Significant achievements for UITP under Mr Rat's direction so far include: UITP's expansion onto the global marketplace; a stronger representation of all mobility actors within the Association; a more decisive role in policy development; and the active involvement of UITP members in their Association's activities.

In 1990 Mr Rat was appointed as Managing Director and a Board Member of NV Verenigd Streekvervoer Nederland, a holding company which owned public transport, taxi and coach companies. He was responsible for the group's marketing and information technology and he shared responsibilities on strategy and international affairs. He was also President of the Dutch Pedestrians Association (2000).

In 1975 he was appointed as Secretary to the Public Transport Division of KNVTO and in 1978 he became the Deputy General Secretary of that Association. He was responsible for the Associations' contribution to public transport's policy in several ways, such as the introduction of a nation-wide tariff system for public transport which is still unique in the world.

In 1973 he joined the Royal Dutch Association of Transport Companies (KNVTO) as a junior staff member where he specialised in financial matters for companies operating in the following sectors: Public Transport, road, haulage, coaches and taxis.

Hans Rat's involvement in UITP dates back to before his role as Secretary General with previous offices including Chairman of the Commission on Transport Economics, Vice-President, and member of the European Union Committee.

Hans Rat was born in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands in 1945. He graduated in International Economics at the University of Tilburg . He went on to be a stagiaire at the European Community Commission in Brussels for six months.

He is married with five children and lives both in Brussels and in the old 'silver town' of Schoonhoven near Utrecht . His leisure pursuits include sailing his 80-year-old sailing barge, rowing and, in the past, running the New York Marathon, an event in which he took part several times.