Brightline appoints Miami-based CEO to keep Florida operations on track

A former chief executive officer of Eurostar, a high-speed European train service, has taken over as CEO of Brightline Holdings to focus on its Florida operations, the company announced Wednesday.

Nicolas Petrovic will be based in Miami and work toward “driving long-term value and sustained growth” in the state, a Brightline spokesperson said in a statement.

Brightline is the only private provider of intercity passenger rail services in America and serves Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando, the statement said.

Petrovic’s appointment comes after reports that Brightline has been losing money and using government subsidies to grow its private business.

READ MORE: Private train, public cash: How Brightline has been buoyed by taxpayer dollars

He is a globally recognized rail-industry leader with more than 25 years of experience, and Eurostar had a record number of passengers under his leadership, the statement said.

Petrovic said in the statement it was “an honor to lead the company’s next stage of growth” and he believed Brightline will “show the way forward for profitability.”

He will succeed Michael Reininger, who led Brightline’s development from 2012 to 2018 and again since 2021, the statement said. Reininger will continue with the company as managing director and member of the board of Brightline West, which will connect Southern California to Las Vegas.

Patrick Goddard, CEO of Brightline Florida, will continue in his role.

This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 7:00 AM.