The Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque, and the President of Renfe, Álvaro Fernández Heredia, sealed the partnership agreement to create Rodalies de Catalunya SA, which will be formalized before a notary this week. Òscar Playà, the current director of the Barcelona metro network, was chosen as CEO by a headhunting firm, tasked with prioritizing technical criteria over political ones.
The board of directors will be chaired by Minister Paneque and includes ten members. The Catalan side includes Pere Macias, Teresa Torres, and Marc Sanglas, the latter representing the ERC quota agreed upon in the investiture pacts. Renfe (holding 50.1% of the company) contributes senior executives such as Marta Torralvo, Miguel Ángel Vicente, and Luis Manuel Suárez, along with Raquel González (representing UGT).
“"The formalization of the new company does not represent a change of name, but a change of paradigm."
Despite the constitution, the company will not begin operating trains until 2027, as it must first obtain the railway company license and the safety certificate validated by the State Railway Safety Agency (AESF). This long period will be used to develop the strategic and business plan, whose roadmap was outlined by engineer Manel Villalante.
“"We are aware of the situation and we are not sitting idly by, quite the opposite."
