Andrew Haines to be new Network Rail Chief Executive

[AlterEgo]

Internal memo:

Message from Sir Peter Hendy
New chief executive announced


Dear colleagues,

On behalf of the Network Rail Board, I am absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Andrew Haines OBE as our new chief executive. He has had a wide ranging career in the rail industry and transport sector, and joins us following completion of his current role as chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

He was the most outstanding candidate in a highly competitive appointment process. Andrew's broad experience of rail and transport, and his reputation for relentless delivery and improvement makes him the ideal candidate to carry on with the transformation of Network Rail that has been led by Mark Carne.

Andrew will drive delivery of the railway improvements set out in the strategic business plan for 2019-2024, ensuring Network Rail's continuing focus on safety, performance and cost effectiveness, and thus delivering a better experience for the millions of passengers who travel every day on our railway.

The Board and I thank Mark wholeheartedly. His personal leadership has been exceptional; of the delivery of the biggest ever upgrade programme in the railway's history, and in ensuring that we are focused on delivering for passengers, freight and the public. His focus on devolution and empowering people has transformed safety and the performance culture of our organisation. Mark leaves a significant legacy for Andrew to build on.

Andrew will take up his role in the late summer following a period of handover with Mark.

Please join me in congratulating Andrew. I know he will have your full support, as has Mark.

Sir Peter Hendy CBE
Chair
Network Rail

 

[D365]

Beat me to the punch!

 

[3141]

He's a very experienced railway person, generally well-regarded in his previous senior positions, with substantial knowledge of what TOCs need in order to operate reliably, and I should think he's an ideal appointment, as Sir Peter Hendy clearly believes.

 

[Wychwood93]

Michael Holden would probably have been a more experienced pair of hands. Possibly a tad older than Andrew Haines - not that age has anything to do with, age, or anything...…..

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Michael Holden would probably have been a more experienced pair of hands. Possibly a tad older than Andrew Haines - not that age has anything to do with, age, or anything...…..

He is engaged on a review of South Western at the moment .....

 

[Wychwood93]

He is engaged on a review of South Western at the moment .....

Thank you for that. None better to do said review. Production Director of Railtrack SW when things happened back in 1994 - Mike Sowden doing the Infrastructure side of things.

 

[43096]

Thank you for that. None better to do said review. Production Director of Railtrack SW when things happened back in 1994 - Mike Sowden doing the Infrastructure side of things.

And was MD of both SWT and FGW at various times.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

He was last in the public eye during the Ash Cloud event, soon after taking over at CAA, during which UK airspace was closed for 9 days.
Quite a challenge.
Probably even more stressful than the virtual shutdown of the rail system under Railtrack after Hitchin in 2000.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Thank you for that. None better to do said review. Production Director of Railtrack SW when things happened back in 1994 - Mike Sowden doing the Infrastructure side of things.

Mike Sowden being an absolute legend for "seasoned operator" ....

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Michael Holden would probably have been a more experienced pair of hands. Possibly a tad older than Andrew Haines - not that age has anything to do with, age, or anything...…..

Lord Holden please - passed on from his Dad , and from thence from Ingram , West Yorkshire. The family had a peerage passed on from a very entrepreneurial and caring Wool person in / around the Worth Valley.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

He was last in the public eye during the Ash Cloud event, soon after taking over at CAA, during which UK airspace was closed for 9 days.
Quite a challenge.
Probably even more stressful than the virtual shutdown of the rail system under Railtrack after Hitchin in 2000.

Well handled too , - mind you the railway had a few good innings out of it , which I had some involvement with .....

 

[swt_passenger]

And was MD of both SWT and FGW at various times.

I think you replied correctly regarding Andrew Haines, to a post that was referring to Michael Holden? Usual thread drift...

 

[HH]

Andrew is a great guy; helluva big job though.

 

[Bald Rick]

Mr Holden is more than happy doing a couple of days a week consultancy work, and much more time on the ‘golf course’. (As is Mr Sowden). Why would he want to give that up for what is essentially a 24/7 job?

Good news about Andrew - good mix of private sector rail experience and dealing with DfT (and all it’s machinations) as an arms length public sector body.

 

[XDM]

TOC managers are in favour of Andrew Haines. I am told when he was MD at SWT, awhile back, he faced down the RMT, successfully ran an almost full service during their strikes, & they slunk off with their demand unmet.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Andrew is a great guy; helluva big job though.

Whilst I would in no way underestimate the magnitude of the Network Rail challenge it is remarkable to think that when Dr Beeching was appointed as the last Chairman of the British Transport Commission he had to 'sort out' (whilst continuing to operate) a family of enterprises with around 700,000 staff compared to about a twentieth of that number at Network Rail.

But best wishes to Andrew. He is, as others have said, a good guy.

 

[HH]

Whilst I would in no way underestimate the magnitude of the Network Rail challenge it is remarkable to think that when Dr Beeching was appointed as the last Chairman of the British Transport Commission he had to 'sort out' (whilst continuing to operate) a family of enterprises with around 700,000 staff compared to about a twentieth of that number at Network Rail.

And that went well, didn't it? But seriously, BTC didn't go well at all and was already being disbanded.

 

[Matt Taylor]

TOC managers are in favour of Andrew Haines. I am told when he was MD at SWT, awhile back, he faced down the RMT, successfully ran an almost full service during their strikes, & they slunk off with their demand unmet.

Instead of listening to people with a poor memory why not simply do a quick search for the facts? SWT struggled to run even half of their service during that dispute and it came to an end when a compromise between the parties was reached by the negotiation of a lower pay rise in return for losing the many strings attached to the deal. The issue of a reduction in hours and a restructuring of station staff remains unresolved sixteen years later.

 

[jayah]

Instead of listening to people with a poor memory why not simply do a quick search for the facts? SWT struggled to run even half of their service during that dispute and it came to an end when a compromise between the parties was reached by the negotiation of a lower pay rise in return for losing the many strings attached to the deal. The issue of a reduction in hours and a restructuring of station staff remains unresolved sixteen years later.

Greg Tucker who they tried to demote, won a tribunal at which the management were told in no uncertain terms they had clearly victimised him because of his union activities and their evidence amounted to little more than a pack of lies.

DOO proposals were withdrawn and the kit sold to another TOC.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1oH0ff_5Wa-AvC1f2g4BaG

 

[Master29]

It`s interesting how everyone says how much of a "great guy" he is but as with football managers he`ll be mud after a couple of years, if that. Groundhog day syndrome.