Rail In the North Event
Thursday 11 March 2021 | 10am - 12pm
The Rail In the North Event will cover transport and policy issues facing the North of England.
The event is held jointly with Northern Rail Industry Leaders (NRIL).
Agenda
10am | Welcome, David Clarke, Technical Director, Railway Industry Association
10.05am | Panel Discussion, followed by a Q&A session, with:
- Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Director, Transport for the North;
- Paul Hirst, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, Northern Powerhouse Partnership;
- Debbie Francis OBE, City Executive for the Northern Powerhouse, Arcadis;
- Justin Moss, Co-Chair, Northern Rail Industry Leaders (NRIL).
11am | Policy Workshop begins [open to both RIA and NRIL members]
12pm| Event closes
Speakers
Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Rail Director, Transport for the North
Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Director at Transport for the North, has over 25 years’ experience in railway design and delivery. He has previously held two rail director positions in the private sector and is known for early development of Rail PPP schemes, as well as partner and stakeholder management.
Tim’s current role is to drive transformational economic change within the pan-northern area of the rail system, with a primary focus on improving connectivity between the six major city regions in the North.
Debbie Francis OBE, City Executive, Arcadis
Debbie has over 30 years of experience both in the UK and overseas across a range of industries from IT to infrastructure maintenance to rail.
Debbie joined Arcadis as City Executive for in September 2020 after 4 years as Managing Director of DRS, a rail freight business and before that 4 years as LNW Route Finance and Commercial Director with Network Rail. Debbie represents Arcadis on the board of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, where Arcadis is one of the founding partners supporting the need for rail investment to connect Northern cities and delivering the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.
Debbie is also Chair of the Harwich Haven Authority, a non-executive Director of Loram UK and a non-executive Director on the board of the MDC Stockport as well as a Trustee of Pave The Way.
Last year she was named in the Top 50 Northern Power Women List, won the 2019 North West & IOM Director of the Year for Inclusivity, and received the 'Woman with Edge' award – which recognises businesswomen who challenge the status quo - at the 2019 Women of the Year awards. She was recently awarded an OBE for services to women in the rail industry.
Paul Hirst, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Northern Powerhouse Partnership
Paul Hirst is Head of the Transport Sector Group at Addleshaw Goddard with over 20 years' experience.
He is rated as one of the UK's top transport lawyers with an unrivalled breadth of experience in the sector including rail infrastructure schemes, development of business cases in accordance with DfT and Treasury guidance, light rail schemes, heavy rail franchising, rolling stock procurement and leasing and advising a range of public and private sector clients. Paul also has international experience where he has worked on transport schemes in Europe and the GCC in particular
Justin Moss, Co-Chair, Northern Rail Industry Leaders.jpg)
With over 27 years’ experience, specialising in rail, electrification, mechanical and electrical projects of which over 15 years has been within the rail industry. He has worked closely with the government, clients, main contractors and subcontractors at a strategic level having good communication, maintaining excellent relationships throughout the industry providing excellent growth for business.
He is passionate about his role as Co-Chair of Northern Rail Industry Leaders providing his inspirational leadership, working closely with sub-national transport bodies, government and major stakeholders to set out a route to delivering growth in the region and has a vast understanding of the transport sector.