Keolis Group has named Clément Michel, CEO of Keolis North America, as its senior executive VP of human resources and transformation. He succeeds Bruno Danet, who will be leaving Keolis Group.

In his new role, Michel joins Keolis Group’s Executive Committee and will also have responsibility for the group’s health and safety, employee engagement and sustainable development policies — all areas he has led in North America.

“The appointment of Mr. Michel is testament to the hard work and strong results the Keolis North America team has accomplished in recent years,” said Marie-Ange Debon, CEO of Keolis Group. “In North America, Mr. Michel has been a leader in creating a workforce that champions inclusion and diversity. I’m counting on Clément to contribute his experience and drive in delivering results across our Group’s global footprint and its 68,500 employees.” 

To ensure a smooth transition, David Scorey, CEO of Keolis Commuter Services which operates and maintains the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA’s) commuter rail system in Greater Boston, will assume the role of interim CEO of Keolis North America. Scorey will be supported by the Keolis North America management team during the transition period ahead of the appointment of Michel’s successor in the coming months.

Michel began his tenure in North America in 2016 after serving as CEO of Yarra Trams light rail network in Melbourne, Australia. Over the last five years with Michel as CEO, Keolis North America has experienced significant growth and transformational change. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team secured three new contracts in six months, growing the portfolio in California and Virginia. In addition, the North American team strengthened relationships with the MBTA, continuing to operate the largest regional rail service in the U.S., and extended Keolis’ partnership to continue operating the Virginia Railway Express (VRE).

As CEO of Keolis Commuter Services, Scorey has shown leadership in advancing organizational safety, strengthening the MBTA partnership, and improving the passenger experience. Under Scorey’s leadership, the MBTA and Keolis expanded their partnership in 2017 to include a mechanism where Keolis could help grow ridership, while sharing with the MBTA any additional revenue. A first-of-its-kind in the U.S., this revenue-sharing partnership included operator investment and contributed to significant ridership gains including a 17% increase in revenue from 2017 to 2020. During the transition period, John Killeen will serve as acting CEO for Keolis Commuter Services.

In other recent news, Keolis Group has appointed Annelise Avril as senior executive VP of marketing, innovation, and new mobilities. As part of her new role, which she will assume on June 7, Avril will become a member of the Keolis Group Executive Committee. Avril previously served as senior VP of innovation, marketing, digital transformation, and research at SUEZ. She succeeds Jean Ghedira, who joins LCL (Crédit Agricole Group) after 23 years in the public transport sector.