Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has appointed Sir John Kingman as the first Chair of Great British Railways, marking another step towards bringing the railways back under public control.
Sir John begins his duties immediately and will help shape the design of the new organisation, continue the integration of train and track operations, and drive industry readiness for transition as the Railways Bill continues its passage through Parliament.
Once Great British Railways is formally established, he will lead what ministers describe as the third-biggest public sector organisation in Britain, working with the rail industry and devolved transport bodies to improve passenger experience and services.
Heidi Alexander: 'Passengers first'
"Sir John Kingman's appointment marks a defining moment in our mission to put passengers first and rebuild Britain's railways," Heidi Alexander said. "His exceptional record across government and industry makes him precisely the leader we need to steer Great British Railways through this landmark transformation."
Sir John has chaired Barclays UK, Legal and General Group and Tesco Personal Finance, served as Second Permanent Secretary at the Treasury during the financial crisis, and was the first Chair of UK Research and Innovation, overseeing £8 billion a year in science funding.
Sir John Kingman: 'Change people can see'
"The opportunity to lead Great British Railways is one I could not let pass. It is a privilege to be involved in rail's next chapter making sure that public ownership of the railways delivers change that people can see," Sir John said.
The appointment follows this week's confirmation of the Great British Railways headquarters site at Becketwell in Derby, which ministers say will bring hundreds of rail jobs and an estimated £151 million boost to the regional economy. Passengers are already seeing benefits from bringing operators into public ownership ahead of the new body, including a fares freeze and tens of thousands of extra seats a week on public operator services.
