Overview
- The SNCF board and a Council of Ministers decree on October 29 formalized Castex’s appointment to a four-year mandate after prior parliamentary approval.
- He succeeds Jean-Pierre Farandou, who has joined the government as Minister of Labour, and he publicly praised Farandou’s record on finances, reform and social dialogue.
- Castex set priorities focused on better service for passengers, preparing for increased competition, accelerating network regeneration and adapting infrastructure to climate risks.
- To prevent conflicts of interest with his former employer RATP, he pledged full recusal on dossiers where SNCF and RATP submitted competing bids and a three-year recusal on tenders where RATP is the outgoing operator if SNCF or Keolis bids.
- He promised rapid engagement with railway staff through on-the-ground dialogue and brings experience as former prime minister and ex-RATP chief credited with managing transport during the Paris 2024 Olympics.