The California High-Speed Rail Authority appointed on 6 May Roelof van Ark, a senior executive with more than 30 years experience as an engineer and manager for some of the world’s leading transportation companies, as the agency’s Chief Executive Officer.

Van Ark, 58, of New-York, has been President of Alstom Transportation Inc., the North American subsidiary of France’s Alstom SA, for the past five years. He had been previously President and CEO of Siemens Transportation Systems in Sacramento (1999 to 2002) and served recently as President of Aviation Security for Invision Technologies Inc.

“Building the first high-speed rail system in the nation is no ordinary job. It is the biggest public works project in the country (the USA) – and the largest environmental review in history”, said Authority Chairman Curt Pringle. “Roelof van Ark is the world-class manager and engineer we need to take the reins of this project and turn the promise of high-speed rail into a reality for the people of California”.

“California is leading the nation in high-speed rail”, van Ark said. “I have seen how high-speed rail projects transform the places where they are built – creating incredible new opportunities by connecting the world’s great cities”…(source: California High-Speed Rail Authority).