Advancing our knowledge, developing our innovation: UITP announces Karine Sbirrazzuoli as new Senior Director
With knowledge at the core
As a member-led association, UITP is defined by those who call our association home.
With more than 1900 members in over 100 countries, our members gather to share knowledge, insight, and ideas to move the public transport sector forward.
It is that sharing of knowledge that makes the association unique from all others and allow UITP to deliver a broad and rich working programme delivered by international or regional Committees.
Within the Knowledge and Innovation Department, our members work with UITP experts every single day to define priorities and produce output to support the sector. The Department is where the management of a wide range of third-party projects to advance research and innovation for urban mobility sits.
All those activities require strong leadership, and as of September of this year, the UITP Knowledge and Innovation Department is now led by new Senior Director Karine Sbirrazzuoli.
Having joined UITP in 2016 as a Project Manager in the then Research and Innovation department, Karine led the management of the 1st Urban Mobility innovation Index (the UMii Project). The project is unique within the sector, and aims to provide a guide for global cities to foster innovation in their urban mobility services and systems.
The project has been a hugely important and successful collection of data, and just this year published its 2021 Index.
Karine’s expertise and insight saw her quickly became Deputy Director of the newly-formed Knowledge and Innovation Department in 2018 where she began to coordinate and support the sharing of knowledge and the knowledge structural activities.
Within this role, Karine also took on the management of the Service Excellence Unit and in 2020, with public transport facing an unprecedented crisis, became the Coordinator of the UITP COVID-19 Task Force.
Our members bring a great depth of knowledge to UITP, and it is their experience and insight that makes our association unique within the public transport sector. That knowledge is defined in UITP by a group of experts, and that requires strong internal leadership. I’m thrilled that Karine will be the one leading that direction, and I know she will bring determination, drive and experience to her new position.
In her new UITP role
Having previously been the Secretary General of the European Association for Electric Vehicles and Head of European Projects and Partnerships for Urban Foresight, Karine’s own knowledge and innovative thinking makes her the perfect fit for her new leadership role.
Becoming the first woman to lead UITP’s Knowledge and Innovation department, Karine also becomes a member of the association’s Management Board, with previous K&I lead Umberto Guida moving to the new position of Head of Third-Party funded Project Strategy.
- Team
Karine now oversees a team of 35 experts, project managers and officers
- Work
Managing 20 third-party funded projects, 22 Committees and 70 Working Groups
- Education
DEA (Doctorate) in Computer Law, Masters in Private Law and ERASMUS LLM Business Law, currently studying Executive MBA
- Career
Urban Foresight, EV4SCC, European Association for Electromobility
The public transport sector is at a unique point as we look to redefine ourselves beyond the pandemic, with UITP and our members playing a crucial role in that development. By facilitating knowledge sharing, and leading innovative research projects , we are in a crucial position to determine what the sector’s future can look like. I’m delighted to take on the role of Knowledge and Innovation Senior Director where I can implement my vision to help our members to face today’s challenges , and shape the future direction of our global work programme. I would like to personally thank Umberto Guida for his insight and advice along the way.
The new leadership of the Knowledge and Innovation department began in September.
Congratulations Karine!
The UITP COVID-19 Task Force concludes after two years of mobilising action
*Acting on behalf of Mohamed Mezghani SARL
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