New man in charge of Manchester’s trams

A new boss is in charge of  Manchester’s Metrolink trams service.

Guillaume Chanussot, finance director for Keolis UK has been appointed as the next managing director for the tram network, which is operated by the KeolisAmey joint venture.

Guillaume has been the finance director for Keolis UK since June 2017 and been instrumental in strengthening the businesses financial processes across the UK.

In his current role he has also been working closely with the Metrolink team and has detailed knowledge of the service.

Guillaume joined Keolis Group in 2013 and has worked for the company in senior financial roles in the Middle East, The Netherlands and at its Paris headquarters.

Prior to joining Keolis he worked as a senior auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Cegelec in Paris.

Guillaume will lead on enhancing the passenger experience across the Metrolink network, working to boost operational reliability and improve customer service.

He takes over with immediate effect from Aline Frantzen, who had held the position since 2017 from the start of the current 10-year franchise.

He said: “I’m excited by the challenge of my new job and recognise the importance of my responsibilities.

“I look forward to working with our partners at Transport for Greater Manchester to continue to build on the improvements and success achieved so far in the franchise.

“But importantly, I am fortunate to have inherited a dedicated and committed team that I know will continue to be passionate about delivering an excellent service for the people of Greater Manchester.”

TfGM’s Head of Metrolink, Danny Vaughan, said: “With the Trafford Park Line set to open in the first half of next year it’s a really exciting time for Metrolink and I’m delighted to welcome Guillaume on board.

“Since taking over as operator KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM) has delivered improvements in a number of key areas, and Guillaume has a very clear remit to continue this work with a particular focus on enhancing customer experience and operational performance.”

Keolis is a global passenger transport business and a leader in integrated networks, with a 20-year track record in the UK.

It runs London’s DLR and Nottingham’s award-winning urban light rail network, in addition to several major rail franchises.

KeolisAmey (joint venture) was awarded the 10-year contract to operate the Metrolink network in 2017 and is now working to deliver the Trafford Park Line extension, currently under construction and expected to be operational by 2021.

The contract will also see KeolisAmey work to create more than 300 jobs, including new drivers, apprenticeships and traineeships.

Keolis has been in the UK since 1996 and today it employs over 13,000 people across numerous franchises. During this time Keolis has introduced more new trains to its franchises than any other operator.

Globally, Keolis operates in 16 different countries.

Keolis is 70% owned by SNCF – France’s state-owned railway operator – and 30% owned by Canadian pension fund, Caisse de depot et de placement du Québec.