Haddad named EVP of the Northeast Maglev

The Northeast Maglev (TNEM) appointed Nazih Haddad to executive vice president, effective February 3. Haddad will manage the development of a high-speed rail system between Washington, D.C., and New York City, using Superconducting Maglev (SCMAGLEV) technology.

“In the world of high-speed rail development, Nazih has proven himself an effective leader,” said Wayne Rogers, chairman and chief executive officer of the Northeast Maglev. “His experience on a wide range of rail projects makes him the ideal person to take on the challenge of deploying the world’s fastest train and making high-speed passenger rail travel in the Northeast Corridor a reality.”

Haddad will be responsible for the overall delivery of the SCMAGLEV system starting with the Washington to Baltimore, Md., segment with continuing service to New York City. He will manage day-to-day project activities and will focus on working with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration and various state and local governments in securing the necessary approvals to move forward with construction. At 311 mph, the SCMAGLEV train will take passengers between Washington and New York in one hour.

Haddad comes to TNEM with more than three decades of experience in the transportation and passenger rail sectors, managing multiple national, statewide, intercity and light-rail projects. Most recently, he was senior program director for Louis Berger, a global professional services corporation. In this role, he led a constructability assessment and management review of the $10-billion New York Mass Transit Authority East Side Access project, which will provide direct passenger rail service between Long Island and the Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

“I am delighted to be given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on the delivery of this state-of-the-art transportation system and to serve as executive vice president for the Northeast Maglev,” said Haddad. “SCMAGLEV train technology is here now and will be the preferred mode of intercity travel as it is implemented both in Japan and here in the Washington-to-New York corridor.”