The Board of Directors

Jo Kaye MIRO - Route Managing Director, London North Western, Network Rail

Born in London and now living in Halifax, Jo read Biology at Imperial College London and followed it up with an MSc in Passenger Transport Management.  Jo joined the Railtrack graduate training scheme in 1995 and has worked on the operational side of the business ever since. She was Head of West Coast 2008 where she was the interface between the project team delivering the west coast upgrade and the train operating companies that use the line, ensuring Network Rail and customers were ready for the introduction of the new timetable. Prior to this, Jo was the area general manager LNW Central, overseeing the day to day operation of the railways in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. 

Richard O'Brien MIRO - Network Rail Route Managing Director for Wessex

Richard O'Brien is Network Rail's Route Managing Director for Wessex. He is accountable for the strategic direction and service delivery for rail services in the South West of the country and has led the business to record levels of safety and punctuality.  A degree qualified Civil Engineer, Richard has worked both here in the UK and in Africa. He joined the UK rail industry over a decade ago, with previous roles including General Manager and Head of Planning and Industry Performance. He lives in Berkshire with his wife and four daughters. 

Neil Henry MIRO- Head of Operational Planning and Performance, Network Rail

A member of the IRO since it was formed, Neil joined the rail industry in 1983 as a signaller with British Rail and has since worked in operations management throughout a number of roles, including Area General Manager for the East Midlands and subsequently for the North East. He’s been with Network Rail since it was formed and in June 2008 became the company’s Head of Operational Planning and Performance. Neil lives with his wife and three children in Derby.

Tim Shoveller FIRO: Managing Director, South West Trains

Tim is Managing Director of South west Trains. He has spent his entire career within the rail industry, beginning as a guard. Subsequent roles have included Operations Director at Midland Mainline, Wessex Trains and Virgin West Coast.  Tim has responsibility for Stagecoach Light Rail business, in Sheffield.  Tim is a Fellow of the IRO

Mark Hopwood BA (Hons), FCILT, FIRO - Managing Director, First Great Western

Mark manages a busy, complex network operating 1,500 trains a day across London, the Thames Valley, West of England and South Wales. He has over 20 years experience in rail operations and has previously worked in and managed many varying aspects of railway operations. He has successfully led teams to achieve substantial improvements in the punctuality of train services. As a Fellow of the Institution Mark believes strongly in the need to promote and raise the profile of the railway operator throughout the industry.

Sarah Kendall FIRO - Business Improvement Director, Arriva Mainland Europe

Sarah works with the Arriva bus and rail businesses across Europe to ensure that best practice is shared and that problems are solved drawing on the expertise that exists within those businesses. She is also a member of the Independent Transport Commission – an industry think tank. She was previously Production Director for CrossCountry having led Arriva's successful bid for the UK’s most extensive passenger franchise in 2007. Her earlier career has covered a range of operational and safety roles as well as jobs in strategic planning, commercial and communications on the British rail network and for Eurotunnel. She has also been a university academic and consultant on wider transport sector issues. Coming from a family of engineers, Sarah is a firm believer in the IRO's role in supporting cross-industry personal and professional development for railway operators.

John Fogarty MIRO

John joined the IRO board in June 2009 and represents Infrastructure Maintenance. He has worked within the railway industry for over 30 years, beginning his railway career as a traction trainee and later becoming a qualified train driver in Birmingham and Manchester. John then moved on to Eurotunnel in 1992 where he commenced his management career. He has since held different management positions with First Group in Croydon as Operations Development Manager, Connex Ireland as their Head of Operations and most recently with Balfour Beatty Rail ltd where he holds the position of Operations Manager. John is very happy to be working with the Institution and assisting other young railway operators develop and get the most out of themselves.

Vacancy

Mike Hogg FIRO - Head of Production, Arriva UK Rail Bids

Mike has worked widely within the railway industry, since first joining British Rail as a graduate operations trainee in 1978. His experiences include traincrew, station and signalling management and infrastructure project development of routes and terminals across the UK. Mike was also heavily involved in freight train operation, spending fifteen years working within the railfreight sector in both line and policy-setting roles. Following extensive operations development, franchise bid work and operations director posts at two TOCs he now heads the Production side of Arriva’s UK bid team. Mike was one of the first to join the IRO on its inception in 2000 and he chaired the North East Area Council for its first five years, joining the board in 2005. Throughout his career, Mike has sought to encourage managers and staff to improve the breadth of their operations knowledge across the TOC/Network Rail boundary and sees the IRO as instrumental in promoting whole-industry operations awareness. 

John Glover BSc, FCILT, MIRO, MPWI - Deputy Chairman of the CILT Strategic Rail Forum

Following BR management training, he held operating posts in both freight and heavy suburban areas. He became a County Council transport coordinator responsible for local buses, where he pioneered county-wide concessionary fares for the elderly. He has also been Director of Policies for CILT. As a consultant, he has successfully represented local authority clients in court and advised BAA on surface transport access. A prolific author of transport books, he contributes regularly to the technical press.

John Doyle MIRO

As General Manager of the Victoria line John has responsibility for the provision of service through the safe operation of trains, signalling, and stations. He began his career with the Underground 29 years ago, joining the organisation as an operations graduate trainee. While on the training scheme John worked as a Guard, Booking Clerk and on various head office assignments. Since completing the scheme John has worked on many of the Underground’s lines in operational posts including Area Manager, Duty Operations Manager, Service Control Manager and Business Manager.   John has promoted education and development in operations during his career, being particularly proud to have revived the modern apprentice scheme for Signal Operators on the Underground. John supports the IRO’s objectives of advancing education in the industry and sharing of best practice.  

Chris Leah FIRO - Vice President

Chris is a career railwayman joining British Rail in 1966 after leaving school.  He studied at the University of London and gained the Certificate and Diploma in Transport.  He followed the promotional route through the studentship and management training schemes. Having worked at the coalface being a booking clerk and undertaking other clerical work in the various disciplines, he finally retired in 2004 as the Network Rail Group Board Member for safety and compliance.  His career encompassed senior executive positions in Regional Railways as the Director for Scotrail, and then for North West.  With the disaggregation of the railway industry he became Railtrack’s Zonal Director in North West before taking the position of Group Board member for operations and safety.  He was one of three directors who took Railtrack through its Administration phase.  Following the creation of Network Rail he was appointed a Group Board member.  He was a founding member of the IRO and has been with it since its beginning being a board director and its chairman. He is currently Vice-President on the IRO Board of Directors and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Bressingham Steam Museum.  Chris is also Operations and Safety Director for Festiniog Railway Company and a Member of Railway Heritage Trust  Advisory Group.