Spain has appointed new presidents of railway infrastructure manager Adif and public train operator Renfe.

It comes as the government reshuffles the sector’s leadership following two deadly high-speed crashes barely nine months apart that have left 115 people dead.

The Cabinet approved Joaquim Hortala i Vallve as Adif president and Inmaculada Gutierrez Carrizo as Renfe president on Friday, according to the Transport Ministry.

The appointments follow the Adamuz and Urda disasters, which prompted the resignations of transport minister Oscar Puente and Adif’s previous president.

Carlos Cuerpo, who took over the transport portfolio after Puente stepped down, accepted the Adif chief’s resignation last week.

At Renfe, Gutierrez Carrizo replaces Alvaro Fernandez Heredia, who was considered close to Puente.

Hortala brings experience at Renfe and Spain’s competition authorities.

A state lawyer since 2004, he worked at the former Development Ministry before holding senior legal and board positions at the national competition regulator.

He subsequently led the legal department at Spain’s bank restructuring authority, the FROB, before serving as Renfe’s secretary general between April 2024 and July 2026.

The ministry highlighted his knowledge of the railway industry and its regulatory framework.

Gutierrez Carrizo moves into Renfe’s top job from her role leading its international projects division, where she oversaw overseas business development and railway projects.

An economics and business graduate of Madrid’s Complutense University, she has held senior roles in public administration and private and state-owned companies.

Her previous positions include membership of Spain’s competition authorities and service as the country’s economic and commercial counsellor in the United States.