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The European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) has undergone a leadership change: Dirk Stahl (r.) hands over the presidency to Maciej Gladyga. This transition represents both continuity and renewal as the association navigates a rapidly changing European rail freight market.
During his tenure, Dirk Stahl strengthened ERFA’s position as a key player and advocate for a competitive rail freight sector in Europe. Under his leadership, the association played a central role in shaping political discussions at the EU level. In addition to his commitment to ERFA, Stahl also significantly contributed to improving cross-border rail freight and promoting the use of rail freight corridors as CEO of BLS Cargo from Bern. His extensive expertise encompasses regulatory affairs, market liberalization, and operational developments in European rail freight.
Reflecting on his time as ERFA president, Dirk Stahl stated: “It has been a pleasure and an honor to lead ERFA over the past six years. This period has been marked by global disruptions such as the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which had significant impacts on rail freight, as well as important discussions and decisions regarding EU regulations in rail freight. I am proud that ERFA has played a crucial role in shaping key decisions on track charges, state aid, TEN-T corridors, and capacity regulation. I will fully support my successor Maciej Gladyga, who also has extensive experience on the ERFA board.” Dirk Stahl will remain active as a member of the ERFA board and as vice president.
Maciej Gladyga is the Managing Director of the Land Transport Chamber in Poland (IGTL) and has led all core activities of the organization over the past ten years. He holds an engineering degree in spatial planning from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences and completed a postgraduate program in project management at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics. Gladyga brings extensive knowledge and experience in European affairs, rail governance, and strategy development in national and international coordination.
Previously, he worked at the Polish Ministry of Transport, where he served as Deputy Director of the Department for European Funds and the Department for Rail Transport, among other roles. His responsibilities included the implementation and financing of investments, the development of strategies in passenger transport, as well as international and EU affairs. He also chaired the executive boards of freight corridors running through Poland and was involved in negotiations for the Fourth Railway Package. Gladyga has been a member of the ERFA board since April 2018 and was elected vice president in November 2019.
Upon accepting his new role as president of ERFA, Maciej Gladyga said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dirk for his outstanding leadership over the past six years. We operate in increasingly complex and turbulent times. Geopolitical tensions and changing economic conditions shape the environment in which rail transport operates. At the same time, long-standing structural issues in the sector remain unresolved and require urgent, decisive action. ERFA must continue to be a strong, forward-looking, and cooperative voice. I am committed to ensuring that the energy, expertise, and innovation of our members are effectively represented and translated into tangible impacts in all European and national forums in which we operate.”
