Eurostar Names Former SNCF Voyageurs Chief
Suppliers and partners of Eurostar should watch for shifts in investment and procurement once the new chief executive takes over on December 1.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
Eurostar has appointed Christophe Fanichet, former chairman and chief executive of SNCF Voyageurs, as its new chief executive, taking up the role on December 1 after Gwendoline Cazenave stepped down. Matthieu Quyollet, Eurostar's deputy chief executive, serves as interim chief executive until then, for a rail operator whose leadership is changing ahead of a more competitive landscape.
Why it matters
Cazenave's exit follows four years in which she oversaw the integration of Eurostar and Thalys under a single brand and a return to sustained growth. Fanichet, who has sat on Eurostar's board since 2022, is tasked with the investments and transformations Eurostar says it needs to keep growing as competition intensifies.
Eurostar's annual passenger count reached 20 million during Gwendoline Cazenave's four years as chief executive. Christophe Fanichet has served on Eurostar's board since 2022 and led SNCF Voyageurs from January 2020 to July 2026.
The players
Eurostar
Eurostar is the international high-speed rail operator linking London with Paris, Brussels and other European cities through the Channel Tunnel.
SNCF Voyageurs
SNCF Voyageurs is the passenger division of France's national railway SNCF, operating the country's domestic and high-speed train services.
Christophe Fanichet
Christophe Fanichet is a rail executive whose track record includes running SNCF Voyageurs and serving on Eurostar's board since 2022.
Gwendoline Cazenave
Gwendoline Cazenave led Eurostar for four years, overseeing its integration with Thalys under a single brand and a return to sustained growth.
The details
Eurostar is replacing its chief executive, with Matthieu Quyollet filling the role on an interim basis until Christophe Fanichet takes over on December 1. Fanichet's background is in running SNCF Voyageurs, the French rail passenger division, which gives him direct operating experience in high-volume passenger rail. The change matters for a business where investment decisions in rolling stock, routes and brand integration take years to pay back, so the incoming chief executive's priorities shape the company's next growth phase.
Timeline
Fanichet became chairman and chief executive of SNCF Voyageurs in January 2020.
Fanichet joined Eurostar's board in 2022.
Fanichet's SNCF Voyageurs tenure ended in July 2026.
Fanichet takes up the Eurostar chief executive role on December 1, 2026.
Market Landscape
Eurostar's leadership change comes as the company, which unified its brand after absorbing Thalys, faces a more competitive European rail market. Fanichet's background in running SNCF Voyageurs places a senior French rail operator at the head of an international cross-border service.
Operators in cross-border passenger transport should note that Eurostar's incoming chief executive will set investment priorities from December 1. Suppliers and partners tied to Eurostar's rolling stock and routes should watch for shifts in procurement timing once the new leadership is in place.
The takeaway
Leadership transitions at major rail operators often precede changes in capital spending, so businesses dealing with Eurostar should calendar December 1 as a point to reassess procurement and partnership timelines. Track any published investment plan from the new chief executive as the clearest early signal of direction.
What happens next
Christophe Fanichet takes up the Eurostar chief executive role on December 1, 2026, when Matthieu Quyollet's interim period ends.
Further reading
For more on executive moves across the sector, see the People section.
