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Thursday 20 Jan 2011

LEADING ECONOMIST JOINS NETWORK RAIL BOARD

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National

Network Rail announces today another high-calibre non-executive addition to its board – leading economist and infrastructure expert, Bridget Rosewell.

Rick Haythornthwaite, chairman of Network Rail, commented: “As part of Network Rail’s change agenda – building not only a bigger and better railway, but also a better value railway – I have reshaped the non-executive element of the board. With the addition of members with the experience and intellectual firepower of Bridget Rosewell, Network Rail now has a board of unparalleled talent that can oversee the changes we must make together.

“Bridget’s practical and academic background in economics and her expertise in transport infrastructure research will add great value to Network Rail . The executive team – shortly to be led by incoming chief executive, David Higgins – will pursue the company’s priorities of obtaining better value, driving safety culture and being more responsive to our customers and passengers.”

On the board Ms Rosewell will chair the policy and performance committee. Network Rail’s members – who act as the company’s shareholders – will have the opportunity to vote on her appointment at July’s annual general meeting. She takes up a non-executive seat on the board vacated by David Higgins, who becomes Network Rail’s chief executive on February 1^st.

Currently, Ms Rosewell is chairman and chief executive of Volterra Consulting. Between 1988 and 2000 she was executive chairman of Business Strategies Ltd – subsequently sold to Experian. Ms Rosewell was a founder of Oxford Economic Research Associates (OXERA) and previously worked as economics adviser to chancellor Kenneth Clarke and is the chief economics adviser to the Greater London Authority reporting to the London mayor. Also, Ms Rosewell has extensive transport experience – preparing economic analysis for trains operators, Crossrail and London & Continental Railways.

Other non-executive appointments announced by Mr Haythornthwaite over the past twelve months include: Malcolm Brinded executive director, upstream international, Royal Dutch Shell, Lawrie Haynes, president, nuclear, Rolls-Royce; Janis Kong, non-executive director at Kingfisher plc, Visit Britain, Portmeirion plc, Forum for the Future and former main board director of BAA plc; Graham Eccles, former deputy chairman of London Midland; and David Higgins, chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority and, now, Network Rail's chief executive-designate.