Marsh, an insurance broker and risk advisor, has appointed James Michel as a new senior vice president in its Global Rail Practice.

In his new role, Michel will act as a key railway operations and safety advisor to Marsh clients.

Michel will be based in Marsh’s Washington, DC, office and will report to Jim Beardsley, global leader of Marsh’s Rail Practice.

Michel has over 35 years of experience in both freight and passenger rail design and operations, with specialties in operational analysis, risk assessment, and safety evaluation for rail organizations.

Michel will join Marsh from HNTB Corporation, where he was national director of Intercity Passenger Rail. He previously spent 22 years with Amtrak responsible for infrastructure and vehicle design.

Beardsley said Michel’s expertise in infrastructure and vehicle technology will help Marsh deliver valuable insurance solutions and risk mitigation strategies to the clients to help them quickly respond to changing needs and improve their performance.

Michel has been a member of multiple Federal Railroad Administration Rail Safety Advisory Committee task forces and working groups. He currently serves as the chairman of the American Public Transportation Association’s High Speed and Intercity Rail Committee’s Technical subcommittee.