Rail Europe appoints new President as it ushers in new era under Omio Group ownership

Jean-Francois Bessiron will take over as Björn Bender steps down

Rail Europe has announced two major leadership changes following the company’s acquisition by Omio Group, the global leader in multimodal travel.

Björn Bender stepped down today as CEO and executive chairman of the rail technology platform after four years with the company.

The European leader led Rail Europe through a significant transformation after its acquisition by Hivest Capital and Bpifrance in 2022.

Jean-Francois Bessiron will take over immediately as president, alongside his role as chief B2B officer of Omio Group. 

He will oversee Rail Europe as it begins integrating into the Group, drawing on Omio’s technology, platform capabilities, and multimodal inventory.

He will be supported by Dau-Khoi Nguyen, who has returned to Rail Europe as chief operating officer, having previously served as the company's CEO from 2018-2022.

Nguyen will lead day-to-day operations during the integration phase and report to Bessiron.

Omio Group acquired Rail Europe in late July 2026, following the completion of a CSE consultation process in France. Rail Europe will continue operating under its established brand, serving both B2B partners and travellers.

Bessiron, incoming president of Rail Europe, said: “Björn has made a lasting contribution to Rail Europe. Under his leadership, the company strengthened its independence, platform, and international positioning, creating solid foundations for its next phase of growth. 

"We sincerely thank him for his commitment to the business, our people, and our partners, and wish him every success for the future.

“Dau-Khoi’s return as Chief Operating Officer brings valuable consistency, and his experience will be a tremendous asset whilst Rail Europe is integrated into Omio Group," he said.

"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.”

Bender said: “It has been a real privilege to lead Rail Europe over the past four years. Together with an incredible team, we transformed Rail Europe into an independent business and built a unique position in the global rail industry. 

He added: "I am proud of what we have achieved together and deeply grateful to our teams, customers and partners who made this journey possible. I wish Jean-François, Khoi and the entire team every success for the next chapter.”