From the Winter Olympics to Everyday Mobility with Dr. Francesca Pili, FNM Group

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That is Mobility Redefined.

com.

Welcome to the Mobility Redfin podcast.

Where we explore strategy, leadership, and innovation shaping

how transport ecosystems evolve.

I am Dr. Ka BOGOs, and today I'm very pleased to be joined by

Dr. Francesca Pilley, executive director and board member of.

FNM Group, the integrated mobility player headquartered in Milan,

and the central contributor to the public transport and infrastructure

across Lombardi and Northern Italy.

Dr. Francesca, thank you so much for joining me today.

Thank you so much everybody.

thank you so much for inviting me and thank you for sharing my experience.

It's a, it's a big pleasure actually today to, to have you joining us because

there's a lot of things discussing about your experience at FNM, the latest

projects, the plans for the future and development of mobility in in Italy,

because FNM is not only a major rail and bus operator, but also strategic mobility

integrator spanning infrastructure, sustainable energy, digital mobility

platforms, and also you recently had this experience of the Winter Olympics.

hosting in Italy.

So it's, I'm looking forward to our conversation.

One question which I wanna ask is maybe general, about FM's strategy,

position and integrated, role.

Okay, FNM is a company with almost 150 years of history, and over time

we have not simple witness transformation.

We have governed them today, FNM, Ferrovie Nord Milanohe leading integrated

sustainability mobility group in Lamberty, we operate not only regional

Ray, but also in motorway infrastructure, renewable energy, and logistic.

This bread is not accidental.

I reflect our mobility ecosystem to serve Avol every day, for example,

every single day through per Bernard.

300 kilometer rail network, 900 train round care more, than 200,000.

Passenger and t scale give us responsibility, but

integration give us leverage.

for example, what make our tructure distinctive is that we

don't operate in mobility in C os.

We combine infrastructure management, transport operation, rollstock,

ownership, digital system, and the energy production under one strategic vision.

And if you all I share, three, advance, tell me.

Or, or not?

Yeah, I think this is very great.

Please go ahead.

okay.

Okay.

Fierce system optimization is the of fermenting optimization for exemption.

when infrastructure upgrade, freight renew, renew energy and sourcing

and digital platform are a linet.

Investment generate multiplier effect and improve overall performance,

not to just individual asset.

Second, in our journal as a economic dense, as a Lomb, mobility

is not Simple Transport is.

It is.

Economic infrastructure in integrate allows out to respond faster to

demand sheet regulatory charge.

Energy, volatility, or extraordinary venture as Milano, Corina, and feared.

Our 20 24, 20 29 strategic plan looked 1.3 billion in investment with

mobility, renewable energy as the core pillars, it's reflect a quick condition.

The future of transport is inseparable for the energy transition

and digital transformation.

That's great actually, actually, I mean, you are underlining very

important points as part of your future strategic plan and maybe if we

can go some of them in more details.

Dr. Francesca is the first one which I wanna go detail

is a little bit about this.

I mean, sustainability and decarbonization, which are very

strategic anchors I see as part of your strategic plan as well.

How is FNM translating these strategic commitments into

concrete operational initiatives?

Particularly in rail electrification, fleet enable and

low carbon energy integration.

Sustainability for us is not a level.

It is embedded in our governments and in our industrial strategy.

At FNM, sustainability is anchored at board level and fully integrate into

strategic planning, investment decision, environmental, social, economic dimension,

and not trade separately, but they evolve together and the this commit is miserable.

For example, at group level, we have set a clear target reducing CO2 emission

The question, of course, is all, and we are person is objecting

along three main direction, first fleet infrastructure transformation.

We're completing.

One of the larger restaurant Fleeter novel program in Italy, 176 New generation

train representing approximately 1.125

billion in investment.

This train are more energy efficiency.

A key with ary bricking system every time.

To reduce emission for passenger kilomet while improve reliability

and passenger experience.

Motor fleet are structural foundation of decarbonization

second renewable with integration.

Our 24 20 29 strategic plan.

Target this patient of a insulated novel capacity, up to approximately.

300, five megawatt with the objective to producing around, 650, gig

gavat of renewable energy annually.

And third.

Hydrogen as a, an ability technology.

Through our NASA project, acade Hydrogen Valley, we are introducing,

14 hydrogen train to replace diesel compass and developing dedicated hydrogen

prediction infrastructure with a total of investment approximately, 392 million.

And hydrogen for us is not

A standalone experiment is a part of a broader portfolio supporting the

transition to zero emission mobility.

Oh, that's, that's great.

I mean, I'm seeing that how you are investing into the sustainable future in

Lombardi region and what are the outcomes already planned for, next few years.

So that's very, ambitious.

And recently, I mean, you have a great experience, because Milano

was hosting the Winter Olympics.

So my question here is that, I mean.

What were the main operational and cel challenges you experienced as FNM

for preparing for this games in terms of capacity, coordination, passenger

experience, and what lessons you can share with other cities hosting major events.

Now the World Cup is coming for US and Mexico and Canada.

So I mean, what kind of lessons we can get from you for our listeners

in other cities that are looking to host for the major events?

concentrate in a single metropolitan area.

It was what we define in Italy as a diffusing Olympics with the

competitions spread across multiple territories, Milano, Corina,

Val, across different regions and the helping areas.

This geographical dispersion fundamentally changed the mobility equation.

Instead of a concentration flow into one or core, we had to manage a

distribute peak across long regional corridors, Val Cross-Regional Emo xor.

The complexity was structural.

One major challenge was managing capacity under uncertainty.

Demand peak.

Were dynamic, nonlinear, and often influenced by weather, condition,

competition, schedulers and international bels we have to scale service with,

while preserving ability for daily commuter extraordinary demand.

Mpromise.

Ordinary mobility At the same time.

Coordination became central and evident on this magnitude require

a lineman between na, national Institution, regional authorities,

infrastructure manager, transport operator, a deputy agency, and locally.

Local municipality governance mechanism share that of lower decision making

process add to be definit well in advance.

Our integrated structure help significantly because in

infrastructure management, transport operation, and motorway service

when win one strategic framework.

Passenger spirit was another critical dimension, but, we haven't, no problem.

Okay.

For many international visitor regional race, was the main chess mode to venue.

The main, ensuring multi lingual information, realtime update, seamless

interm modality, and strong cont planning behind the seen worldwide.

There was an extensive operation, effort built on coordination

and competence for us.

That's

great.

That's great.

I mean, it's really great to see all these developments.

Dr. Francesco,

thank you.

Thank

you.

It's a lot of developments and what I like a lot for, I mean, Large events,

like, I mean, Euro Football Cup, world Cup Expo, winter Olympics is, I mean,

they leave a legacy in the, in the cities.

So I was involved, I mean some major events, especially in the

emerging countries, for example, in South Africa, in the past I saw the

World Cup brought their howtrain, the main railway connection in the

Left the, the legacy of the NIV metro line in the city of Dubai.

And then I am sure that there might be also some, some other things living

in Milan or Lombardi for the future.

Yeah.

What legacy do you hope FNM's mobility contributions to the games will leave

behind for Milan and Lombardi and urban regional connectivity more broadly?

for us, okay.

Milano Corino was not only operational challenge, it was a reward stress test

of our integrated mobility model and an opportunity to advance, infrastructure,

institutional collaboration, digital capability for long time, sir.

Large global event can act as accelerator.

They compress term line mobility resource, and a linear stakeholders

around a share objective.

But the real value lies in what remains.

Afterwards for us, the rail is a structural backbone

of regional connectivity.

LO is not just a metropolitan area, it is an interconnect economic region

where mobility, support, productive education, tears and social inclusion

and straight nailing rail infrastructure means strengthening territorial equation.

At the legacy we aim to live in twofold.

Fierce, the more resilient and high capacity network investment link

to the games, improve reliability, digital control, system station

accessibility and interchange efficiency.

This upgrade we continue to serve daily commuter long after the event.

And second.

Ban Regional integration rail is the connector weak between metropolitan

Milano and Alpine and regional tors in improv corridor reduce cardio dependency.

Lower emission make, peripheral aerial more civil and economically competitive.

That's great.

I mean, I'm, I'm very great to see also the long-term economic impact.

'cause I always say that if you invest one euro for public transport, it generates

four to five euro in the local economy.

So that's what, it'll be great to see how, I mean, these, all these investments will

give some fields in terms of increased economic activity in the, in the region.

I know, I mean, Milano and Lombardi regions are the

economic centers, of, of Italy.

So that will certainly boost economic activity in the

region, for the way forward.

And one of your topics that you were touching, Dr. Francesca,

was about the digitalization and the customer experience.

You touched this earlier in, in, in the initial part of our discussion.

And I wonder also, how is FNM deploying digital systems and data driving solutions

to transform customer experience?

And what are your plans around this one as well?

digitalization for us is not about adding apps.

It is about redesign the passenger journey as a continued experience.

The customer for us is the passenger.

A passenger do not think in term of operator.

They think in term of destination and they expect, one seems journey.

No multiple disconnect Segment that expectation force mobility provider to

move behind organization boundaries and the at FNM digital transformation operator

on two complementary, complementary levels when the operation side use data driven

system to monitoring infrastructure.

Rolling stuff, a traffic flow in real time.

Digital control rooms support, predict man traffic optimization

and faster response to distribution.

Reality remains the foundation of customer experience and, artificial

intelligence is increasing part of this transformation We are exploring.

AI basic tool to enhance operation efficiently, automated process,

and improve service responsiveness.

But technology alone is not specific center.

This is why we are investing in AI literacy and training

programs for our employee.

Digital transformation require cultural transformation and

mm. Is connected, directed to multimodal integration in liberty.

Because we operate across infrastructure, service, and motorway

system, digital platform, allow us to integrate that across the model.

It is increasing integration, improve interchange planning, timetable,

synchronization and transparency for, for user and ultimate.

Technology is not the goal.

trust is the goal and digital capability convene with the skill and train people

are what allow large regional mobility system to earn and maintain the trust.

I think I highlight the, the sentence a lot that you

say, digital transformation needs cultural transformation.

That's very, essential.

So that's, that's quite an essential, especially when we are looking at the

last 10 years, let's say challenges.

And if you look forward for the, let's say, division for the future.

And if you discuss for the, let's say the vision, let's say like a two 30

vision for original mobility, I mean.

what kind of, you know, significant opportunities or biggest risks that

you are seeing for the future of mobility and what capability or

mindset should mobility leaders build today to succeed in that horizon?

entering what they could call a structural transition phase globally.

We are already seeing early seniors.

Provide card.

Ency is expected to decline main major oral regions while new mobility

form including share autonomous shuttle, begin to gain relevance.

But this transition will be not uniform.

Tier one cities in China are accelerate mass transit expectation

and experiment with the robo shuttle.

Larger upper cities are straightline, multimodal, public transport and micro

mobility, and CAR TUSA metro policy.

Introducing share autonomous solution, but private vehicle will

see dominated for a long time.

Lambie sit in a unique rapid position.

We are not hyperdense mega city like Shanghai, non-car

metropolitan like Los Angeles.

We are polycentric economic dense region where urban regional will

be the master Co. In test context, I see three major opportunity.

One is model rebalancing.

If rail micro mobility assure the service become more integrated and

digital connect, we can gradually reduce structural dependency on provide vehicle

without compromise the accessibility.

autonomous technologies can prove safety, optimize capacity, and

enable more flexible service in low density and peripheral areas.

However, a must approach autonomous mobility different for the region.

In China, development can scale weaker through strong central ation.

In the United States, innovation is often market drive, and Europe

regulatory line safety, the standard a public accept will be decide.

so the bigger risk in my view are fermentation and iner.

Yeah, fermentation between operators.

Technology, a governance leave, can slow down transformation eria cultural

institutional can prevent organism from adapting and the speed technology evolve.

So, this is, why mindset meters.

Mobility leaders must think an ecosystem not in asset.

They must invest in AI, literacy and digital capability when their work off.

And, so they must engage regulatory, properly shaping, say

frameworks for autonomous mobile rating that reacted to them.

So that's, that's a great insight and a lot of recommendations,

for the, different players in the market for the future, and I

really like what you are telling.

Dr. Thank you so much for sharing your insights on integrated

mobility strategy, sustainable transformation, multi-stakeholder

coordination, the trends, your experience around the Winter Olympics.

Your vision for, for the future and the plans.

That was all.

All great.

And before we close, is there any other message you would like to leave

with the mobility leaders who are balancing the legacy service delivery

with future Ready Transformation?

Are there anything else before we conclude that you would like to add?

Okay, thank you.

If I had to leave one message to mobility leaders, I, it will be This.

Innovation is not only about technology, it's about people.

The future of mobility will be shaped by digitalization,

automation, and new energy system.

But what probably makes transformation, sustainability is the quality of the

people who lead it and the culture we build inside our organization.

We need the leaders.

Who are curious, responsibility and inclusion, and we need team that are

digital skill, but also socially aware.

That's a great conclusion.

That's a great conclusion.

Thank you.

That's a great, thank you so much.

Conclusion, people first, I, I say now maybe with one slogan word at the end of

this podcast as the people first, either as the employees or also as the customers,

the users of the public transport systems.

Dr. Francesca, thank you once again, for your participation.

And I want to thank to also our listeners, joining us, today for this,

for this podcast and, looking forward to them, for the next editions as well.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much..

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