Henri POUPART LAFARGE

About Henri POUPART LAFARGE

Henri Poupart-Lafarge is one of the best-known French industrial leaders in the rail sector. Trained as an engineer, he graduated from École Polytechnique, École nationale des ponts et chaussées, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He began his career in 1992 at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., before moving in 1994 to the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, where he worked in the Treasury Department and later served as an adviser to the Minister of Economy and Finance. He joined Alstom in 1998, first taking on responsibilities in investor relations and management control, then moving into the Transmission & Distribution business as chief financial officer. His rise within the group accelerated in the 2010s. He became Alstom’s Chief Financial Officer and later Executive Vice President, before being appointed Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer effective 1 February 2016, following Patrick Kron’s departure. As Alstom’s top executive, he led the company through a period of major industrial change and strategic repositioning, with Alstom refocusing on rail mobility. His tenure is especially associated with the landmark acquisition and integration of Bombardier Transportation, a transformative transaction that increased Alstom’s scale and global reach in rolling stock. From a governance perspective, Poupart-Lafarge has been associated with long-term leadership, strong industrial execution, major international contracts, innovation in rail systems, and the growth of Alstom’s signaling and services businesses. Under his leadership, the group continued to advance major projects in France and abroad while strengthening its position in sustainable mobility and transport decarbonization. In May 2025, Alstom’s board announced that he would not seek another mandate at the end of his current term, marking an orderly transition in leadership. Martin Sion succeeded him as Chief Executive Officer in April 2026.