Northern has announced the appointment of Jason Wade as its new regional director for the North East. Wade, currently the company's Head of Retail Operations, will transition into the role in a phased manner while a replacement is sought for his current position.
Wade assumes the position previously held by Kerry Peters, who has moved on to lead Northern's services in Yorkshire, Humberside and the East Midlands. In his new role, Wade will be responsible for all Northern services operating from hubs in Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Carlisle, Chathill, Bishop Auckland, Saltburn, and Whitby.
A 30-year veteran of the rail industry, Wade began his career as a graduate trainee for Regional Railways North East, then part of British Rail. He has since held various roles within Northern, encompassing station management, control, safety, performance, operations, customer service, and commercial functions. He currently serves as the North East chair of the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators.
"Jason has been a vital member of our executive leadership team for the past 14 years," said Tricia Williams, Chief Operating Officer at Northern. "He brings a wealth of experience and a positive, can-do attitude, and I am confident he will be an excellent champion for our customers in the region."
Wade expressed his enthusiasm for the new role: "I am absolutely delighted and proud to be appointed Regional Director," he stated. "I believe strongly in collaboration and look forward to working with stakeholders to ensure we continue delivering for our customers."
It has been all change at board level at Northern over recent months. At the start of the year, it appointed a new chief operating officer, with Matt Rice succeeding Tricia Williams who became the operators new managing director.
Williams herself, was replacing Nick Donovan, who announced he was leaving the company later this year.
Photo Credit: Northern
