Skip to main content

José Viegas starts work as ITF secretary-general

Internationally renowned academic José Viegas of Portugal has begun work as the new chief executive of International Transport Forum (ITF), the global transport policy body. The ITF is an intergovernmental organisation with 54 member countries that acts as a strategic think tank for global transport policy and organises an annual summit of transport ministers.
August 20, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Internationally renowned academic José Viegas of Portugal has begun work as the new chief executive of 1102 International Transport Forum (ITF), the global transport policy body.

The ITF is an intergovernmental organisation with 54 member countries that acts as a strategic think tank for global transport policy and organises an annual summit of transport ministers. The Forum is housed by the 3685 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.

Viegas, who was elected by ministers of Forum member countries at their summit in May 2012, joins the ITF from a globally recognised career as an academic and consultant. Previously a professor of civil engineering at the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and chairman of 6408 TIS.pt, a transport consultancy firm, Viegas has worked in all transport modes and managed collaborative networks across countries and economic sectors to advance better solutions in transport.

After starting his new role, Viegas said: “There are new and significant challenges for all transport modes across the world.

“The knowledge production at the Forum and the policy discussions among Ministers are very much relevant to address these challenges.

“The International Transport Forum faces great opportunities for a strategic reorientation, based on its existing strengths and its expanding membership, to further strengthen its role as the foremost platform for a global dialogue on transport policy.

“I will work hard to provide engaging and successful leadership in these processes."

Related Content

  • IRF kick starts the year with events in Nice, Singapore and Sydney
    March 28, 2018
    IRF Geneva is reaching out to partners and members throughout a series of events hosted around the world. The IRF will start the year with three major events respectively in Nice, Singapore and Sydney. IRF Geneva is pleased to support the second Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit (PPRS) which will take place in Nice (France) on 26-28 March 2018. Better maintenance of road infrastructure and urban networks is key to support the projected level of mobility of people and goods. Preventing our roads fr
  • A history lesson in private public partnerships
    April 12, 2012
    Michel Démarre gives some historical insights into public-private partnerships conceived to implement urban infrastructure projects, a concept that surprisingly dates back to as early as the 13th century! All over the world today, the role of public authorities in the process of planning and, in most cases, designing, financing and procuring urban roads is paramount. Even for modifications to existing roads, decisions are made by these public authorities (usually after due consultation with the population)
  • Major highway growth in Portugal
    April 12, 2012
    Twenty years ago Portugal was bottom of the European league in terms of roads and safety. A series of ambitious plans has seen the country rise to the top. Patrick Smith reports on how this was achieved In Portugal, out of 3,600km of main national roads (IP+IC), some 1,500km of motorways/high-capacity routes are financed under public-private partnership (PPP) agreements. These are tolled either using shadow tolls (these are being phased out) or real tolls, and plans are in hand to make routes multi free-fl
  • Innovative projects at IRF Awards luncheon
    February 22, 2013
    Since the launch of the IRF Global Road Achievement Awards (GRAA) program in 2000, our main objective has been to showcase innovation and leadership in the global road industry,” noted IRF president & CEO Patrick Sankey, as he opened the luncheon. “We are extremely proud our Awards Program has become an industry reference for innovators across the globe.” IRF Chairman Abdullah Al-Mogbel offered his congratulations to the award winners, noting, “…the award winners provide an inspiring example of the ingenuit