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Passion for improvement
East Midlands Trains has
appointed Neil Micklethwaite
as its new customer service
and commercial director.
Micklethwaite’s remit at East
Midlands Trains will cover all
aspects of customer service
delivery and commercial
activity, including overall
management of stations, ontrain
and customer relations.
He will also be responsible
for leading the station
improvement work.
An accountant,
Micklethwaite, 39, has
worked extensively in the rail
industry. He joined British
Rail as a graduate trainee 20
years ago and has held senior
commercial roles at both First
Great Western and Chiltern
Railways.
He joins East Midlands
Trains from advertising
company CBS Outdoor,
where he was UK bus and rail
director.
He said: ‘I am very excited
to be returning to frontline
Neil Micklethwaite
management at one of
the UK’s premier railway
companies. I am passionate
about driving improvements
for passengers and join at a
key time in East Midlands
Trains development. East
Midlands Trains has a great
future and I am really looking
forward to being a part of it.’
Barlass joins MTR
MTR, part owner of the Lorol
concession, has appointed
a European engineering
director. John Barlass, 56,
joined MTR in August and
will be based in London,
leading the UK and European
office’s work in development
of rolling stock strategies
for bids, and overseeing fleet
development.
Jeremy Long, CEO of John Barlass
European business for MTR,
said: ‘I am delighted that John
is joining us at MTR – his expertise will be invaluable
as we continue to grow in the UK and Europe, and will
provide a strong link to our own rolling stock expertise in
the Group.’ MTR also runs Stockholm Metro.
Hockley retires
London to Norwich Greater
Anglia train driver John Hockley
boarded his train for the last
time before his retirement on
13 August. He finished 50 years
to the day after he joined the
railways in 1962, aged 15, to
become a steam locomotive
cleaner at Stratford depot.
People round-up
Gueretta to drive development strategy
CBS Outdoor UK has announced that Nicole Guerretta is
to join the company as head of franchise bus and national
rail, responsible for driving forward the development
strategy of the company’s bus and national rail portfolio.
The appointment comes following Neil Micklethwaite’s
departure for East Midlands Trains.
Previously, Guerretta held the position of business and
commercial manager at EYE, where she was responsible
for all franchise relationships including Gatwick, Stansted
and Manchester airports.
Houghton strengthens board
Electro-mechanical engineering specialist Houghton
International has made two appointments to its board.
Craig Hutton has been promoted to the position of
operations director and Cedric McMillan joins the
company as sales and marketing director.
Michael Mitten, chief executive officer, said: ‘These two
key appointments will strengthen the management team
and ensure we continue to expand the business through
developing new products and services to meet increasing
demand from customers in the UK and internationally.’
Craig Hutton
Cedric McMillan
New directors a true asset
Network Rail has created an asset management services
department, and has created five director roles for the new
structure, which went live in August.
The following appointments were made: John Halsall,
technical services director; James Dean, route services
director; Ben Edwards, strategic services director; Steve
Yianni, technical director; and Edgar Goddard, energy
services director. Network Rail identified the need to
strengthen the role it plays in leading and developing rail
technical strategy in the wider industry, so has added a new
role of technical director. Edgar Goddard joins from National
Grid. He was head of transmission services there, and has
held a number of commercial and operational positions
throughout the last decade.
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