Rail Forum Board
Will Rogers
Chair
Will is currently Managing Director of East Midlands Railway; he was appointed as Chair of the Rail Forum in July 2022. Will’s 20+ year rail career includes several roles in train operating companies together with a significant amount of experience in the supply chain with Interfleet (now SNC Lavalin). Will brings a wealth and depth of knowledge spanning the whole industry at a time of significant change as we navigate the implementation of the rail reform agenda that underpins the Williams Shapps Plan for Rail.Michelle Craven-Faulkner
Vice-Chair
In her ‘day job’ Michelle is a Partner at Shoosmiths. Previously, she joined Geldards from Nelsons following several years contracting experience with Alstom Transport covering projects across the whole of the UK. Michelle has experience across all aspects of rail having been involved with supporting the manufacturing, renovation, service and parts supply functions, together with West Coast Mainline, Northern & Jubilee Line and Light Rail Projects.Simon Higgens MBE
Vice-Chair
Simon is Business Development Director at Story Contracting Ltd, a civil engineering company that operates in the rail and construction sectors. Having cut his teeth in the rail industry at Babcock, he was CEO of Derby-based ISS Labour and Market Engagement Director at Amey Consulting & Rail. Prior to joining the rail industry, Simon served in the Royal Engineers for 30 years and deployed worldwide on numerous operations. Drawing on his military and rail experience, Simon brings his strategic and leadership skills to the Board and a passion for lifelong learning and addressing the industry’s skills gap.
Rail Forum Executive Directors
Ben Ackroyd
Chief Operating Officer, Porterbrook
Blake Richmond
Chief Operating Officer, Resonate
Cara Murphy
Practice Director, Rail Consulting, AtkinsRealis
Chris Swan
Head of Rail at Tarmac
Chris Wright
Managing Director, Keolis Nottingham Trams
David Brookes
Head of Sales and Business Development, Grinsty Rail Ltd
David Taylor
Managing Director at Datum Composites
Donna Hoffman
Managing Director at Inside Out Group
Laura May
Business Development Manager at TUV Rheinland UK
Michael Grace
Strategic Development Director, TXM Consult
Nick Andrew
Managing Director, CWE
Nicola Phillips
Supply Chain Director at Siemens Mobility
Rail Forum Stakeholder Members of the Board
Andy Shaw
Unite the Union
Cllr Martyn Ford
Derbyshire County Council
Kyle Butterworth
Head of Rail Improvement, EM Councils
Lawrence Bowman
Systems Operator, Network Rail
Paul Harwood
Interim Programme Director (Passenger & Freight), GBR Transition Team
Rupert Brennan Brown
Director, Strategic Stakeholder Engagement – This is a non executive Board appointment providing advice to the Rail Forum team on strategic stakeholder engagement
