East West Railway Company (EWR Co.) has announced the appointment of Jonathan Clear as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective January, marking a strategic move as the company advances toward securing a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the transformative East West Rail project.
Clear joins EWR Co. from Building Digital UK (BDUK), where he currently heads Finance and Operations. Since joining BDUK in June 2023, he has brought extensive leadership experience from across Whitehall, including senior finance roles at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education, where he served as Finance Director and sat on both the Departmental Board and Executive. He also holds a non-executive board position at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
David Hughes, CEO of East West Railway Company, welcomed the appointment, saying:
“We’re delighted to welcome Jonathan to East West Rail Company.
“His breadth of experience and leadership across finance and operations in the public sector will be invaluable as we continue to progress the project.”
“I look forward to welcoming him to the team in the new year.”
Clear will take over from interim Finance Director Ian Davis, who will remain in post until the transition is complete. Davis stepped in following the departure of Sam Turner, EWR Co’s previous full-time CFO. Turner, who was seconded from Network Rail, has now returned to the organisation as Group Finance Director.
Clear’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for EWR Co., as the company prepares to enter a critical phase in its mission to deliver a new rail connection between Oxford and Cambridge. His public sector pedigree and operational acumen are expected to bolster the company’s financial strategy and governance as it navigates the complexities of infrastructure planning and delivery.
Image credit: East West Rail
