Rail Europe CEO and executive chairman Björn Bender has stepped down after four years at the helm of the distribution platform, following its acquisition by ground transport consolidator Omio Group in July.
Omio Group chief B2B officer Jean-Francois Bessiron will become president of Rail Europe alongside his existing role, the company announced on Friday (18 September).
Bessiron will oversee Rail Europe’s integration into the wider Omio portfolio, which includes its flagship consumer travel booking platform, Omio Business, and travel discovery brand Rome2Rio.
Dau-Khoi Nguyen, who served as Rail Europe CEO from 2018 to 2022, has returned to the business as chief operating officer. Reporting to Bessiron, he will lead day-to-day operations during the integration and “maintain continuity” for the platform’s customers and partners.
Bessiron thanked Bender for his “lasting contribution” to the company and said Nguyen’s return would bring “valuable consistency” during the integration.
“Together with the wider leadership team, we will build on the strong foundations Björn has helped put in place and continue delivering for travellers and partners,” Bessiron said in a statement.
Paris-based Rail Europe is integrated with more than 250 rail operators, including SNCF, Eurostar, Trenitalia, DB, Renfe, SBB and ÖBB, and works with a global network of more than 25,000 travel sellers and partners, according to the company.