Tim Shoveller: Chairman 
E-mail: tim.shoveller@eastmidlandstrains.co.uk

Tim is Managing Director of East Midlands 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 is the Chairman of the Area Council and is responsible for overseeing its operation and ensuring engagement at all industry levels. Tim is a Fellow of the IRO.

Chris Loder: Vice Chairman
E-mail: chris.loder@chilternrailways.co.uk

Chris is Deputy Operations Director of Chiltern Railways. Chris’ entire career has been with the railway, beginning as a Station Assistant and Guard for South West Trains, before progressing his passion for railway operations in a number of traincrew, operations and strategic roles, including Operations Manager at c2c. Chris is the Vice-Chairman and ensures the day to day management and co-ordination of the council strategy and area activities. Chris is a Member of the IRO.

Chris Howard: Secretary
E-mail: Chris.howard@southernrailway.com

Chris is Performance Improvement Manager at Southern, responsible for performance planning, reporting, analysis, compliance and improvement, the latter including the JPIP. Previous roles have included franchise bidding at Arriva Trains and station management and project roles at South West Trains, including the introduction of the Wessex Integrated Control Centre and the December 2004 timetable. As secretary for the Area Council, Chris organises and administers council meetings and is also involved in communications and magazine articles on events. Chris is an Associate Member of the IRO.  

Alex Hellier: Area Treasurer
E-mail: alex.hellier@networkrail.co.uk

Alex is a Senior Project Development Manager, working for Network Rail on the Thameslink Programme. Previous jobs have included Duty Manager for TransPennine Express at York and Train Crew Controller for First Great Western. Alex joined the IRO seven years ago and has completed the Associate Members course in November 2006 and Degree Course in July 2009. Alex is a Member of the IRO and is responsible for the finances of the South East area.

Glen Merryman: Events
E-mail: glen.merryman@londonmidland.com

Glen has been working for London Midland for about a year and has shared responsibility for 25 members of staff at Watford Junction. Prior to this, he completed his degree in Geography at the University of London and has held roles as Performance Compliance Manager at c2c and Performance Support Manager at London Lines. Glen was previously responsible for the communications for the IRO Young Professionals. He now oversees the events programme for the area and is an Affiliate Member of the IRO. 

Andy Castledine: Continuous Professional Development
E-mail: andy.castledine@firstgroup.com

Andy is a Train Service Controller at First Great Western based in Swindon. Previous positions have included Train Running Controller at EWS and performance, station and traincrew management at Central Trains. He has had direct involvement with the Institution since 2008 and was involved with the North West branch of the IRO Young Professionals. Andy is on both the South East and South West Area Councils, being responsible for implementing the Continuous Professional Development programme in the South East area. Andy is an Affiliate Member of the IRO. 

Robert Mullen: Young Railway Professionals
E-mail: robert.mullen@nationalexpress.com

Rob is Senior Driver Manager at c2c and is responsible for driver management and all mainline train drivers. Previous roles have included Depot Driver Manager and Route Performance Manager, while he has also worked at Delta Rail and Scott Wilson Railways. He was a member of the IRO Young Professionals Committee before joining the IRO South East Area Council. Rob's role is to look after the interests of younger members and build links with other institutions. As such, he is Chairman of the ‘Young Railway Professionals’, a joint forum with IMechE, IRSE and IET and ensures links and consistency between IRO and YRP activities. Rob is an Affiliate Member of the IRO.

Jonathan Leithead: Membership
E-mail: jonathan.leithead@networkrail.co.uk

Jonathan joined the Network Rail graduate scheme in Operations and Customer Service in 2009 and is based on the Wessex Route. Previous experience in railway operations has included being a guard and controller on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways in north Wales. Jonathan is responsible for membership liaison in the South East area and is an Affiliate Member of the IRO. 

Gary Mewis: Cross-Industry Liaison
E-mail: gary.mewis@rssb.co.uk

Gary is Senior Operations Specialist (Standards & Projects) within the Traffic, Operations & Management delivery unit at the Rail, Safety and Standards Board (RSSB.) Gary and his team are responsible for the research, production and maintenance of all operational Railway Group Standards on behalf of GB rail industry members. He began his career in the rail industry in late 1979, starting as a guard and then as a train driver and instructor with London Underground. Subsequent roles have included operational management at Eurotunnel, as well as extensive new rail systems commissioning in Europe, the Far East and Australia. Gary is an alumnus of the International Railway Strategic Management Institute (IRSMI) Senior Managers Programme 2006 and is a Member of the IRO.

Tim Shoveller: Chairman 
E-mail: tim.shoveller@eastmidlandstrains.co.uk

Tim is Managing Director of East Midlands 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 is the Chairman of the Area Council and is responsible for overseeing its operation and ensuring engagement at all industry levels. Tim is a Fellow of the IRO.

Chris Loder: Vice Chairman
E-mail: chris.loder@chilternrailways.co.uk

Chris is Deputy Operations Director of Chiltern Railways. Chris’ entire career has been with the railway, beginning as a Station Assistant and Guard for South West Trains, before progressing his passion for railway operations in a number of traincrew, operations and strategic roles, including Operations Manager at c2c. Chris is the Vice-Chairman and ensures the day to day management and co-ordination of the council strategy and area activities. Chris is a Member of the IRO.

Chris Howard: Secretary
E-mail: Chris.howard@southernrailway.com

Chris is Performance Improvement Manager at Southern, responsible for performance planning, reporting, analysis, compliance and improvement, the latter including the JPIP. Previous roles have included franchise bidding at Arriva Trains and station management and project roles at South West Trains, including the introduction of the Wessex Integrated Control Centre and the December 2004 timetable. As secretary for the Area Council, Chris organises and administers council meetings and is also involved in communications and magazine articles on events. Chris is an Associate Member of the IRO.  

Alex Hellier: Area Treasurer
E-mail: alex.hellier@networkrail.co.uk

Alex is a Senior Project Development Manager, working for Network Rail on the Thameslink Programme. Previous jobs have included Duty Manager for TransPennine Express at York and Train Crew Controller for First Great Western. Alex joined the IRO seven years ago and has completed the Associate Members course in November 2006 and Degree Course in July 2009. Alex is a Member of the IRO and is responsible for the finances of the South East area.

Glen Merryman: Events
E-mail: glen.merryman@londonmidland.com

Glen has been working for London Midland for about a year and has shared responsibility for 25 members of staff at Watford Junction. Prior to this, he completed his degree in Geography at the University of London and has held roles as Performance Compliance Manager at c2c and Performance Support Manager at London Lines. Glen was previously responsible for the communications for the IRO Young Professionals. He now oversees the events programme for the area and is an Affiliate Member of the IRO. 

Andy Castledine: Continuous Professional Development
E-mail: andy.castledine@firstgroup.com

Andy is a Train Service Controller at First Great Western based in Swindon. Previous positions have included Train Running Controller at EWS and performance, station and traincrew management at Central Trains. He has had direct involvement with the Institution since 2008 and was involved with the North West branch of the IRO Young Professionals. Andy is on both the South East and South West Area Councils, being responsible for implementing the Continuous Professional Development programme in the South East area. Andy is an Affiliate Member of the IRO. 

Robert Mullen: Young Railway Professionals
E-mail: robert.mullen@nationalexpress.com

Rob is Senior Driver Manager at c2c and is responsible for driver management and all mainline train drivers. Previous roles have included Depot Driver Manager and Route Performance Manager, while he has also worked at Delta Rail and Scott Wilson Railways. He was a member of the IRO Young Professionals Committee before joining the IRO South East Area Council. Rob's role is to look after the interests of younger members and build links with other institutions. As such, he is Chairman of the ‘Young Railway Professionals’, a joint forum with IMechE, IRSE and IET and ensures links and consistency between IRO and YRP activities. Rob is an Affiliate Member of the IRO.

Jonathan Leithead: Membership
E-mail: jonathan.leithead@networkrail.co.uk

Jonathan joined the Network Rail graduate scheme in Operations and Customer Service in 2009 and is based on the Wessex Route. Previous experience in railway operations has included being a guard and controller on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways in north Wales. Jonathan is responsible for membership liaison in the South East area and is an Affiliate Member of the IRO. 

Gary Mewis: Cross-Industry Liaison
E-mail: gary.mewis@rssb.co.uk

Gary is Senior Operations Specialist (Standards & Projects) within the Traffic, Operations & Management delivery unit at the Rail, Safety and Standards Board (RSSB.) Gary and his team are responsible for the research, production and maintenance of all operational Railway Group Standards on behalf of GB rail industry members. He began his career in the rail industry in late 1979, starting as a guard and then as a train driver and instructor with London Underground. Subsequent roles have included operational management at Eurotunnel, as well as extensive new rail systems commissioning in Europe, the Far East and Australia. Gary is an alumnus of the International Railway Strategic Management Institute (IRSMI) Senior Managers Programme 2006 and is a Member of the IRO.