Keolis Group appoints Clément Michel and Annelise Avril to its executive committee

Keolis Group has appointed two to its executive committee. Clément Michel, who has served as president and CEO of Keolis North America since 2016, has been named senior executive vice president human resources and transformation, effective May 3. He will lead the group’s Health and Safety, Employee Engagement and Sustainable Development policies. Annelise Avril has been named senior executive vice president marketing, innovation and new mobilities, effective June 7.

Keolis Group CEO Marie-Ange Debon welcomed both to the executive committee, noting the will help contribute to “a new phase in Keolis’ development”

“Clément Michel’s operational and multicultural track record as well as his experience in strategic development, operational transformation and employee engagement will be invaluable assets in driving the group’s transformation, notably by harnessing our fast-growing expertise in digital innovation and energy transition. Our employees are Keolis’ most valued resource and it is their expertise and commitment which will ensure Keolis’ transformation delivers new opportunities,” said Debon. “I am counting on Annelise Avril to contribute her know-how and long and varied on-the-ground experience in public utilities management in France and internationally to a renewed vision of innovation and passenger experience as well as to the role of digital in transforming our work.”

Michel has 22 years of experience in passenger transport and the management of public transport networks. Michel joined SNCF in 1999, where he held several operational positions in Paris and in Montpellier. In 2005, he became executive director of Gare de Lyon station in Paris. In 2009, he joined Yarra Trams operated by Keolis Downer in Melbourne as Chief Operating Officer before being appointed CEO of Yarra Trams in 2013, a role in which he remained until moving to Keolis North America.

Michel succeeds Bruno Danet on the Keolis Group Executive Committee. David Scorey, CEO of Keolis Commuter Services, will take over Michel’s role in North America and serve as interim CEO of Keolis North America.

Avril began her career in 1995 project engineer at SUEZ Consulting, before joining the French Water Circle as general delegate from 2000 to 2003. From 2004, she worked in different operational functions within the SUEZ Group, including regional operations manager in France, performance and innovation manager in Perth, Australia, CEO of Allwater, a subsidiary of SUEZ in South Australia, CEO of SUEZ Consulting, a SUEZ international subsidiary dedicated to engineering and consulting services in the environment, mobility and climate energy sectors.

As a board member of the Syntec-Ingénierie federation of consulting engineering companies in France from 2017 to 2020, Annelise has promoted the feminization of engineering professions and initiated the Engineering Chart for Climate.

Avril succeeds Jean Ghedira, senior executive vice president marketing and new mobilities, who joins Crédit Agricole Group.