On July 12 Anne-Marie Idrac (below) was appointed as President of SNCF, succeeding Louis Gallois who has stepped down as head of the French national rail operator to become Co-Chairman of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. Idrac had been head of Paris transport operator RATP since 2002, and was succeeded in the role by Pierre Mongin.
Norman Y Mineta retired as US Transportation Secretary with effect from July 7, and Maria Cino was appointed Acting Secretary. On July 24 Mineta became Vice-Chairman of public relations consultancy Hill & Knowlton.
Following a general election, on July 4 Lubomír V
