Eurostar has appointed Christophe Fanichet as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Gwendoline Cazenave, who is stepping down after four years in the role.
Fanichet will take up the position on 1 December 2026. Matthieu Quyollet, Eurostar’s Chief Financial, Strategy and Transformation Officer and Deputy CEO, will serve as interim CEO until then.
During Cazenave’s tenure, Eurostar integrated Eurostar and Thalys under a single brand, returned to sustained passenger growth and reached 20 million annual passengers in 2025. The company also prepared a series of strategic investments in its fleet and customer experience.
Gwendoline Cazenave said:As I step down from leading Eurostar after four years, I can see the full extent of the transformation we have achieved. We brought Eurostar and Thalys together to create a European high-speed rail champion, complete with a strong brand, an expanded network, and a completely reimagined customer experience. We have strengthened the company’s competitive position and united all its stakeholders around a shared ambition.
Revenue has grown by more than 30% since 2022, with an EBITDA margin of 18%, and the company has committed a historic €2 billion investment to 'Eurostar Celestia'—its new fleet of double-decker high-speed trains—laying the groundwork for its next phase of growth. None of this would have been possible without the talent, commitment, and energy of the Eurostar teams. Throughout my career, I have been driven by a single ambition: to transform, create value, and rally collective energy around a common goal. It is this same ambition that will continue to guide me.
Fanichet joins Eurostar after a career spanning almost 20 years in senior positions within the SNCF Group. He served as Chairman and CEO of SNCF Voyageurs from January 2020 until July 2026 and has been a member of the Eurostar Group Board of Directors since 2022.
His experience includes high-speed rail, international rail operations and the introduction of competition into European rail markets.
Christophe Fanichet said:I am delighted to be joining the Eurostar Group team and dedicating myself to its development. Eurostar is a magnificent company; I know very well the talent and commitment of its staff in serving our customers, the strength of its network across Europe, and its power as a global benchmark for travel. I embrace the challenge presented by this new chapter. We will need to implement the necessary investments and transformations to ensure Eurostar’s growth within a competitive landscape. Together with Eurostar’s 2,500 employees - with whom I am delighted to be working—and with the trust of our shareholders and the high-quality collaboration of our partners, we have all the assets required for success.
The leadership change comes as Eurostar prepares for the next phase of its fleet renewal and network development. The company has ordered up to 50 Celestia double-decker trains from Alstom, with introduction planned from May 2031.
Eurostar currently operates 51 high-speed trains, serving more than 20 destinations across the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. It carried 20 million passengers in 2025.
