Marcel Flouret took the helm at SNCF in September 1946. A graduate of École Polytechnique, he tackled the difficult task of rebuilding the rail network and invested heavily in electrification. World War II had damaged nearly 2,600 bridges and viaducts, destroyed some 100 stations, and left much of SNCF’s equipment and rolling stock unusable.

Under Mr Flouret’s chairmanship, the company acquired a new graphic identity and added a sixth region—the Mediterranean—to its network. He stepped down in May 1949.