Individual Signatories

Renée Amilcar is the General Manager of OC Transpo in Ottawa. She has made a reputation as a global leader in sustainability and innovation in the transportation industry. Her people-first approach and strategic vision is a model for service organizations. Renée is an Industrial Engineer with a degree from École Polytechnique in Montréal, and has a Master of Business Administration from Université de Sherbrooke. She is also a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.

Renée’s career in transportation began in 2002 at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), where she rose the ranks to become the first female Director of Bus Maintenance. In 2014, Renée became STM’s Executive Director of Bus Service, leading a team of more than 5,300 employees and a fleet of 1,800 buses. During this time, she led STM’s electric bus network transformation.

In 2021, Renée joined the City of Ottawa as the first female General Manager of OC Transpo. Renée is overseeing many projects such as the electrification of Ottawa’s transit fleet, including the deployment of 350 zero-emission buses. This initiative will fully convert OC Transpo’s bus fleet to emission-free buses by 2036.

In addition, Renée leads a team responsible for Ottawa’s Stage 2 Light Rail Transit project. This exciting expansion will extend light rail service to the Ottawa International Airport and bringlight rail within 5km of the homes of nearly 80 percent of Ottawa residents. Renée implemented a robust marketing and recruitment campaign to address current and future staffing and ridership needs.

Renée is a champion for equity, inclusion, and diversity. On industry trends, Renée is at the forefront, spearheading innovative marketing campaigns, recruitment programs, and embracing new technologies to improve transit in Ottawa. She is also an inspirational rolemodel for women in business.

In 2018, Renée received the Mercuriades Outstanding Woman in Leadership Award from the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. Her accomplishments also include becoming the first female Bus Committee Chair at the International Association of Public Transit (UITP), where she quickly excelled to be appointed president of UITP. Renée’s official inaugural ceremony for UITP president took place in June 2023.

After earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from the National School of Engineering in Tunis in 1994 and a degree from the Royal Institute of Territorial Administration in Kenitra in 1997,  Nabil Belabed began his career as an Inspector at the Inspectorate General of Territorial Administration. In 2003, he joined the Wilaya of Tetouan, where he resumed his functions within the Cabinet of the Wali as Neighbourhood Chief. In 2007, he was appointed Head of the Administration and Finance department at the National Initiative for Human Development.

He held the position of General Director of Casa Development in 2015 and was appointed, in September 2018, General Director of Casablanca Transport en Site Aménagé S.A. In October 2018, the Executive Committee of the regional division Middle East and North Africa (MENA) of the International Union of Public Transport appointed him Vice-President representing the Maghreb region, and he became, as of that date, a Member of the Policy Board. In February 2023, Mr. Nabil Belabed was appointed as the third Vice-President of the African Association of Urban Mobility Authorities (AAUMA).

In addition to his professional career, he completed his education with an executive management diploma at the Higher Institute of Commerce and Business Administration (ISCAE) in 2002 and a Master’s degree in Cities and Territories Management from ISCAE-ESSEC in 2008. He also graduated as an auditor from the National Institute of Higher Studies of Security and Justice (INHESJ) and the Center for Higher Studies of the Ministry of the Interior of the French Republic (CHEMI) in 2013.

Mr. Brieuc De Meeûs is the Chief Executive Officer- STIB, Brussels and Deputy President of UITP. In a career spanning over three decades, Brieuc De Meeûs has held a variety of positions across various sectors – from Project Manager and Project Director, to General Manager and CEO.

Educated at the College du Christ Roi and the ECAM Brussels Engineering School, Mr De Meeûs has held top level managing positions in large companies, ultimately leading him to become CEO of STIB-MIVB, the public transport operator of Brussels, in September 2012.

Before becoming Diversity Manager at STIB-MIVB in January 2019, I had been responsible for Diversity and Inclusion in the private sector for three years. I have always been a people person, an advocate against injustice, driven by impact no matter how small. I have moved at least 15 times in my life, living in the Netherlands, the US, the UK, Japan and currently residing in Belgium. At STIB-MIVB I am responsible for the D&I analysis, strategy and implementation. In 2019/2020 we developed a huge campaign against sexism in the workplace. My passion and speciality is Unconscious Bias.

Ralph Gambetta, has a management and a politics background with Ph.D. as well as a strong involvement into the transportation sector. He has been active in various transport companies such as German Railway, International Railway Union (UIC) and RATP (Paris metro and bus operator). Since more than a ten years he is in charge of promotion at Calypso Networks Association (CNA) and the deployment of smart ticketing schemes. Five years ago his function at CNA was extended to General Secretary. Further he is member of the board and treasurer of the Smart Ticketing Alliance.

Elodie Hanen joined Île-de-France Mobilités as deputy general director in charge of prospective, transport planning, and infrastructure in 2017. For the last two decades, she has been involved in the design and construction of complex projects in the fields of building and transport infrastructure in France and internationally (Asia and the Middle East).

Ms. Hanen acquired Franco-American training in the field of structural engineering and architecture (Ecole Polytechnique, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia, New York).

Alok is the CEO & Managing Director of Trans-consult. He is an international expert in public transport operations and management, with specialisation in new technology, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and clean fuel technologies. With 30 years of experience in the industry, Alok has worked with an array of international consultants and leading transport operators such as MTR Corporation Hong Kong and Kowloon Motor Bus Hong Kong.

He is an international expert trainer and a Fellow of Civic Exchange, a Hong Kong-based non-profit independent think tank. He regularly teaches at the University of Hong Kong and serves as a Member of the Transport Policy Committee of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong. He has several publications to his credit, including contribution to a book on best practice in railways operations and management.

Alok is a civil engineer and holds post-graduate degrees in transportation engineering and management.

Alok Linkedin

Alok Twitter @alokjainhk

(EN)

Joe Kenny, CEO of  the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Ireland and former Chief Human Resources Officer, Bus Éireann, has over 35 years’ experience in a variety of roles within urban public transport covering Human Resources and Operations Management. He holds BBS and MBA degrees from University College Dublin. He has been directly involved in the design and delivery of many training and coaching initiatives and is Honorary Chairman of the UITP Human Resource Commission and a former member of the UITP Policy Board.

He is a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) and a Chartered member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). Mr. Kenny has operated in a consultative capacity within Operations and Human Resource management and delivers coaching and training interventions. He is currently International Social Dialogue Coordinator with UITP and is also Chairperson of the UITP delegation of the ITF/UITP working group.

(ESP)

Joe Kenny, CEO del Instituto de Logística y Transporte (CILT) de Irlanda y ex Director de Recursos Humanos de Bus Éireann, cuenta con más de 35 años de experiencia en una variedad de roles dentro del transporte público urbano que abarcan Recursos Humanos y Gestión de Operaciones. Posee licenciaturas en BBS y MBA de University College Dublin. Ha participado directamente en el diseño y la implementación de numerosas iniciativas de formación y coaching, y es Presidente Honorario de la Comisión de Recursos Humanos de UITP y ex miembro de la Junta de Política de UITP.

Es miembro colegiado del Instituto Colegiado de Desarrollo de Recursos Humanos (CIPD) y miembro colegiado del Instituto de Logística y Transporte (CILT). El Sr. Kenny ha trabajado en calidad de consultor en Gestión de Operaciones y Recursos Humanos, y realiza intervenciones de coaching y formación. Actualmente se desempeña como Coordinador Internacional de Diálogo Social con UITP y también es Presidente de la delegación de UITP del grupo de trabajo ITF/UITP.

Following 17 years with Metrovias and Benito Roggio Transporte, in Buenos Aires, Roberto Labarthe joined CCR in 2010 as Business Development Executive in the Rio de Janeiro office of the company.

He was then envolved in various projects, especially acting as Project Leader for the design and contract negotiations for the construction of the VLT Carioca, the tramway of Rio, and participated in the Salvador Metro Project in Bahia, amongst others..

Currently, in addition to continue to participate in the Business Development activities of the CCR’s Mobility Division, Labarthe is in the Board of Directors of the public transport companies of the group.

Labarthe is member of the UITP Policy Board, of the Transport Economic Comission and Vice President of the UITP Latin America division.

Lilli is leading our work to make the capital safe and attractive for all journeys, and to achieve our goal of Vision Zero, where no one is injured or killed on the transport network.

Lilli joined TfL in 2006 and has been Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer since September 2019. One of her many passions and responsibilities is working to address the climate crisis and to achieve a net zero carbon railway by 2030 and to ensure TfL’s environmental performance is exemplary.

Her career has included being a member of the UK Government’s Commission for Integrated Transport and running her own transport consultancy where she led major projects on sustainable transport for a range of clients.

She is an alumnus of Imperial College, having gained her MSc in Environmental Technology at its Centre for Environmental Technology.

Lilli was appointed to the Board of the Environment Agency in 2021.

Mr. Alain Mercier joined the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) as CEO in April 2012. His extensive experience in the area of transportation in Canada and the US, both in the private and public sector, spans 35 years. Mr. Mercier joined the RTC at a point in time to implement a revised bus network, a transformative tram program and integrated mobility solutions such as bike-sharing and micro-transit. He is the current Chair of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, a board member of UITP and the Association du transport urbain du Québec as well as several advisory committees dealing with public transport issues.

Mohamed Mezghani is the Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) since 2018. He has been working for more than 30 years in public transport and urban mobility related fields in different roles: knowledge manager and director, adviser and consultant as well as researcher. He has led many initiatives including advocacy activities, studies, technical assistance, training programmes and professional events in more than 70 countries on all continents, engaging with international organisations, government officials, mobility professionals and academia.

He has been graduated in Industrial Engineering (1987) from Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Tunis, Tunisia and has a Master in Transport (1988) from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, Paris, France.

Tom has been at Transport for London (TfL) for over 16 years in a variety of roles; transport planning, technology, change, stakeholder, commercial and finance. He spent several years in Strategy and my substantive job is Head of Strategy for TfL. He is currently General Manager of the Docklands Light Railway, a (contracted) railway serving the Docklands area of London.

Marta E. Serrano Balbuena holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Castilla La Mancha (2005). Throughout her career, she has held several senior leadership roles in the transport sector, including serving as Secretary General for Land Transport at Spain’s Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility from 2023 to 2025.

She previously served as Managing Director of the Valencia Municipal Transport Company and as Director of Communications and Consultancy at the Madrid Municipal Transport Company, both public operators responsible for bus services in their respective cities.

Marta is currently Director of Business Development at Renfe, Spain’s national railway operator, where she oversees the engineering division, information systems, and the development of mobility studies to support the introduction of new services across the rail network.

A strong advocate for gender equality, she prioritises the integration of a gender perspective and the promotion of female talent in engineering and transport. In 2018, she co founded Women in Motion, an Ibero American initiative dedicated to advancing gender equality in the mobility sector.

She also works actively to strengthen sustainable, multimodal, accessible, and efficient mobility systems, with a focus on addressing climate change and creating safe, user centred environments.

Julian Ware has worked for Transport for London since 2007 following spells in consultancy and as a government official. He has chaired the UITP Transport Economics Committee since 2019. He specialises in funding solutions for transport projects.

Natasha studied in Kuala Lumpur, New Zealand and London, obtaining a law degree from the London School of Economics (LSE) with a special focus on European Union and international law.

She is Stakeholder Director at YTL Construction, part of the project team that is building the new 192km electrified double track rail link for the Malaysian government, in the state of Johor. Natasha also incubated, operationalised and now leads the YTL Learning Academy.

Natasha has extensive experience in the Malaysian public transport space, having worked previously at Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and at Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

Given her deep interest to strengthen human capital development in the Malaysian rail space, in 2017 Natasha founded Women in Rail Malaysia, a not-for-profit entity which was established to support and promote equality and diversity within the Malaysian rail industry. She is passionate about driving Women in Rail Malaysia for the benefit of women not just currently working within the industry but to also promote the Malaysian rail space as a career of choice to young women studying in secondary school and in universities. To date, Women in Rail Malaysia has spoken to more than 7,500 students across Malaysia.

Between 2015 and 2019 Natasha represented Malaysia on the Business Women’s Working Group in the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC).

In 2019 the German government recognized Natasha as a one of the ‘Remarkable Women in Transport’, officially recognizing her as a female change-maker and highlighting her contribution to sustainable mobility solutions.

In 2021, the Malaysian government awarded Natasha as the inaugural winner of the Outstanding Woman of the Year in Rail Award.

In 2022, International Railway Journal recognized Natasha and profiled her as one of winners of IRJ’s Women in Rail Awards 2022.