'THE GOVERNMENT'S ABSOLUTELY AWARE ... - Rail Professional

PEOPLE
SIEMENS GETS
NEW PR OFFICER
Emma Whitaker has joined Siemens
Transportation Systems as its new PR
and communications officer.
A PR specialist with over seven
years' experience within the
consultancy sector,Whitaker, 29,
joins STS from the Midlands-based
PR agency,Armadillo, where she was
a media relations consultant and
account director. Previous roles
include positions with international
marketing communications agency,
Barrett Dixon Bell, and global PR
consultancy, Lewis.
Alison Emery, head of Siemens UK
communications, said:‘An agency
background provides Emma with a
strongly developed “client-service”
focus based on achieving measurable
results which will ensure all parts of
our business are supported.We are
delighted to have her on board.’
RFG APPOINTS A DIRECTOR GENERAL
The Board of the Rail Freight
Group has announced Alan
Bennett as director general.
Bennett is currently an associate
with consultancy Steer Davies
Gleave and will start full time at the
RFG in September.
RFG chairman Tony Berkeley
said: ‘I am very pleased that Alan
has accepted our offer to lead
RFG. There is much to do, both in
developing policy initiatives to
ensure that rail freight is able to
grow to meet the future demands
of the market and its
Mark Fell has been appointed legal services director
and company secretary for Cross London Rail Links.
Fell, 49, was a solicitor in the field of major
construction and engineering projects and has had
extensive exposure to the rail sector.
He was previously working for London
Underground where he had been advising on the
implementation of the PPP contracts and other
environmental agenda, and also to
sustain and enhance the RFG’s allimportant
services to its members.’
Bennett, 55, added: ‘I am greatly
looking forward to joining RFG and
working with the RFG board and
Tony Berkeley. My goal is to ensure
that the RFG aligns itself with the
priorities of its members in a
changing political and business
environment and builds on its
success as an authoritative, credible
and powerful voice for rail freight
users, service providers and
suppliers.’
Alan Bennett.
Crossrail takes on legal director
projects, including Phase II of the Kings Cross
redevelopment.
Douglas Oakervee OBE, CLRL's executive
chairman, said: 'Mark's extensive experience on
previous construction projects will be invaluable to
us in moving towards the construction phase. We
welcome him onboard at this exciting time for the
project.'
Whitaker (left) and Emery.
Davies joins
National Express
The National Express Group has
created a new position of
customer service director for its
Trains Division, to be taken up by
Annette Davies.
Davies was previously customer
services director for Silverlink and
C2C, where she was instrumental
in implementing a customer
relationship management
programme.
Chief executive David Franks
said: ‘Annette’s previous
experience within the travel
industry, which spans airlines,
shipping and rail, coupled with
her particular expertise of CRM,
will be invaluable in the delivery
of our customer initiatives to
place our customers at the core of
what we deliver.’
HEATHROW EXPRESS GETS THREE NEW MANAGERS
Heathrow Express has appointed three
new managers, to oversee
performance, operations and resources.
Shaun Furzer, 22, has joined as
performance manager from South
West Trains, where he was
performance co-ordinator. Based in
the Heathrow Express control room,
his new role consists of managing the
company. He will also develop and
enhance the resource management.
Richard Brown, head of operations
at Heathrow Express, said,‘Heathrow
Express has always had a philosophy
of not just maintaining performance
but of constantly looking for ways to
improve our service.
‘Heathrow Express recently topped
the National Passenger Satisfaction
Survey, making it the nation's
favourite rail service, and was also
awarded the Customer Service Team
of the Year.
‘These three new appointments
allow us to manage our performance
even more effectively and enhance
the customer experience.’
attributions and incidents on
Heathrow Express and Heathrow
Connect and publication of reports.
Dermot McEvoy, 43, is to look after
a team of service and operations
controllers as well as the performance
manager and resources department.
He joined Heathrow Express as a
customer service representative in
1998.
Matthew Knight, 33, has joined as
resources manager from Eurostar
(UK). In his new role as resources
manager, Knight is to ensure the
deployment of staff to meet the
operational and service needs of the Shaun Furzer, Dermot McEvoy and Matthew Knight.
48 RAIL PROFESSIONAL : APRIL 2007