UK: Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps has appointed Nilesh (Neil) Sachdev as Chair of Oxford to Cambridge railway corridor project promoter East West Railway Co for a three-year term.
Sachdev is currently a Non-Executive Director of Network Rail Property Ltd and Chair of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Board for the Ministry of Defence; he has previously held a variety of senior positions in the energy, property and retail sectors.
Sachdev succeeds former Chiltern Railways Managing Director Rob Brighouse, who has served as EWR Co’s founding Chairman since 2017.
‘I thank Rob, who has not only initiated this project, but provided strong leadership in delivering the first stage of the project and building a great team at EWR Co’, said Sachdev on March 16. ‘I am looking forward to working with the EWR Co team, all our local stakeholder communities and businesses to deliver growth for the local economy and build on the exciting vision of the EWR project.’
‘After four years, it is now time for me to move on’, Brighouse explained. ‘I will continue to support the industry in delivering for passengers and freight operators, in the first instance through my Senior Independent Director role on the Network Rail Board. I wish everyone in the company every success as they go on to deliver a cost-effective railway for the good of the Oxford – Cambridge Arc.’
