02.11.15
Another big name lost for Network Rail
Patrick Butcher, Network Rail’s finance director, is leaving his longstanding position in the New Year to take up a job as chief finance officer of the Go-Ahead Group from May 2016.
The appointment follows a series of executive changes at the top of the company in the last two years: gone are Sir David Higgins, Simon Kirby, Tom Kelly, Robin Gisby, Paul Plummer (who started at the Rail Delivery Group today), and now Butcher – not to mention Richard Parry-Jones, forced out as chair in the summer.
Network Rail has found talented people to fill these roles – Mark Carne, Dr Francis Paonessa, Barney Wyld, Phil Hufton, Jo Kaye and Sir Peter Hendy respectively – but this level of executive churn must surely affect an organisation’s stability and direction.
Mark Carne, Network Rail’s boss, thanked Butcher’s service to the company for over seven years: “I personally want to thank him for his untiring support to me and for helping us to successfully navigate the transition into the public sector last year.”
Butcher will take to operator Go-Ahead a wealth of experience in finance director roles at DB Schenker and London Underground.
He will also be joining at an interesting time, just shortly after the operator’s Govia – a 65/35 joint venture with Keolis – integrated Southern, Gatwick Express and some Southeastern services with its Govia Thameslink Railway franchise in July. It is now the biggest operator in the UK.