Chairman’s corner
UIC Chairmann
Chairman (Director) of East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Japan
Yuji Fukasawa joined the Japanese National Railways (JNR) — predecessor of East Japan
Railway Company (JR East) — in 1978, following graduation from the University of Tokyo
where he attained a degree in law. He has long served in a role of leadership in the rail industry,
with more than 45 years of experience behind him.
Fukasawa served as JR East’s President from 2018 to 2024 and currently serves as the
company’s Chairman. He has unfailingly stood at the company’s forefront even through such
unprecedented challenges as those presented by Covid-19, working tirelessly to transform
Japan’s railways.
One of the most significant achievements under his leadership was the inauguration of
“Takanawa Gateway City”. It is one of the largest urban development projects taking placing
in Japan in recent years, now being developed alongside a recently constructed station on land
made available through the repurposing of a former rail depot. Takanawa Gateway City is
positioned to become a place of experimentation and innovation toward new and fulfilling
lifestyles into the century ahead. It aims to become a hub from which solutions for the future
are to be generated and shared with the rest of the world in the form of new culture, new
business modes and models for a more environmentally viable economy.
Fukasawa believes in the greater potential of railways as leaders in promoting decarbonization
initiatives, and has been instrumental in making the utilization of hydrogen energy a reality
along with other investments to further address issues facing the global environment, and
reduce CO₂ emissions.
Fukasawa took it upon himself to make sure that the company learned from both operational
and technical aspects of past safety-related incidents. He emphasized safety as the company’s
top priority, applying lessons from the past to further prevent accidents and ensure safer and
more secure railway services.
He has also made important contributions in the development of human resources in the
industry through training programs in the fields of operations, maintenance, and customer
service. Last but not least, his leadership has been indispensable toward the success of the
High-Speed Rail Project now underway in India.
Since 2023, Fukasawa has served as member and is actively involved with both the UIC
Executive Board and the UIC Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC), where he has
emphasized the importance of UIC initiatives, most particularly as an advocate of
standardisation. His membership in the APMC has led to participation in activities within the
Asia-Pacific region, including Safety Training Session — a major forte of JR East — which he
has organized within the framework of regional projects.
Fukasawa has always had great interest in the culinary cultures of the world and is a certified
expert in both wine and Japanese sake. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, he has been serving as
President of the Japan Tennis Association since April 2025, active worldwide in revitalizing
communities through the power of sport
UIC Vice Chairman
CEO and General Director of FS Italiane, Italy
Stefano Antonio Donnarumma has been Chief Executive Officer and General Director of the Ferrovie
dello Stato Italiane Group since 27 June 2024 and, from July of the same year, President of the UIC
(International Union of Railways) Europe Region for the 2024–2025 term.
At the helm of the FS Group, he launched the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, which provides for more than
€100 billion of investments over five years, of which over €60 billion are dedicated to railway infrastructure.
Under his leadership, the Group achieved a record level of €17.6 billion in investments in 2024 and initiated
an unprecedented fleet renewal program: €7 billion dedicated to regional transport with 1,061 new trains
to be delivered by 2027, 61 of which had already been delivered by early 2025. This is in addition to more
than €1.3 billion for 36 new Frecciarossa high-speed trains, with an option for a further 10 units to be
delivered by 2028, and €525 million—funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan—for 38
new Intercity trains to renew medium- and long-distance services.
With the creation of FS Energy, Donnarumma has accelerated the Group’s energy transition, setting
ambitious goals: more than 2 GW of renewable capacity by 2034 and over 1 GW already by 2029. This
interim milestone will cover up to 19% of the Group’s total energy demand and ensure an energy self-sufficiency level of more than 80%.
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering in December 1993 with full marks and honours, and registered with
the Milan Order of Engineers, Donnarumma is widely recognized as one of Italy’s leading experts in
infrastructure. Alongside his technical background, he has built extensive experience in the energy,
transport, and utility sectors, which allows him to pursue an industrial vision based on innovation,
sustainability, and international growth.
Before taking the helm of the FS Group, he served as Senior Advisor to Bain, Mercer, and Equita SIM,
working in strategic consulting on energy-sector investments for national and international funds. He has
also been awarded the honour of Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
The FS Italiane CEO has carried out numerous teaching activities at University and postgraduate level,
collaborating with institutions such as Tor Vergata, Luiss, PUSC, MIP, and other higher education
institutes. He has taken part in several working groups and crisis committees at local, regional, national,
and international level. He also served as Vice President of UTILITALIA and President of GO15 (the
global association of electricity transmission companies).
Prior to his current role, in 2020 he was appointed CEO of Terna, the listed company managing Italy’s
national electricity transmission grid, and earlier, in 2017, CEO of the Acea Group, a listed multi-utility
company in Rome operating in electricity and gas distribution, integrated water services, waste
management, and energy commodities, serving more than 10 million users across five regions of central
and southern Italy.
He also held the position of Director of Networks and Heat (energy infrastructures) at the listed company
A2A Group, where he oversaw all activities and subsidiaries in the fields of electricity and gas distribution,
district heating, integrated water cycle, public lighting, and energy efficiency, covering Milan, Bergamo,
Brescia, Lodi, Cremona, and the wider Lombardy area.
At Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), in 2012, Donnarumma was Director of Aviation and Accountable Manager
of Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, as well as Director of Operations and later Operating President of
Acea Distribuzione SpA, the independent operator of Rome’s electricity distribution network.
At the beginning of his career, he managed production at the Alstom site in Savigliano during the execution
of contracts for Pendolino, Cisalpino, EMU China, Minuetto and Trento Malè, in addition to locomotive
(Bombardier) and high-speed train (Alstom) manufacturing, eventually becoming Manufacturing Director
for both multinationals in the railway sector. He also oversaw production at the Bombardier site in Vado
Ligure, managing contracts for the construction of E464 locomotives (regional transport) and the
development of the first multi-voltage ETR 500 locomotive (Frecciarossa 500).
He also worked in the international mechanical engineering industry in the automotive and railway
components sector (Ruetgers Automotive, TMD Friction), focusing on maintenance, testing, safety,
industrialization, and production.
His career began as an intern at Fiat Mirafiori in chassis design, graduating at the same time with a
scholarship from the Automobile Technical Association and with an experimental thesis on gear design
(Fiat Punto).
As President of UIC Europe, Donnarumma has promoted a forward-looking roadmap for European
railways, focusing on key drivers of innovation and transformation such as Digital Twin technologies,
FRMCS, and OSDM. Through these initiatives, he has strengthened cooperation with UIC headquarters
and members across regions, consolidating the Union’s role as a platform for innovation and ensuring that
the railway sector remains a driver of change both in Europe and worldwide.
