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What members do

Network Rail is a company limited by guarantee; it is a private sector organisation operating as a commercial business and with a plc-style board of directors – but it is without shareholders. The Network Rail members fulfil the role of shareholders, but do not receive dividends or have equity interest, as Network Rail is a not-for-dividend company, and any profit is re-invested in improving Britain’s rail infrastructure. members do not receive payment for their services, but are paid reasonable expenses for the execution of their duties.

Members play a crucial role in the company’s corporate governance and have statutory rights and duties. These include: attending the company’s annual general meeting; voting on the appointment and re-appointment of Network Rail directors; and receiving Network Rail’s annual report and accounts.

Why Network Rail has appointed new public members

The original 113 members were appointed in 2002, soon after Network Rail became the rail infrastructure operator. The total number fluctuates depending on the number of rail companies eligible as industry members. Each year about one third of the public members term of appointment expires. This allows for a staggered process of future member appointment, providing continuity and stability by avoiding a situation where all membership terms expired at the same time. Existing public members were eligible to re-apply.



The selection process

Following an open and widely-advertised campaign for applicants, Network Rail has today announced its completion of the selection process for appointment of the new public members who commence their term of membership on 26 November 2009.

An independent membership selection panel selected from applications and recommended to the Network Rail board individuals whom it considered had the appropriate abilities and experience to be appointed as public members. In line with its stated policy, the board accepted the panel's recommendations unanimously.

The independent panel

Alastair Macdonald as chairman, formerly director general for industry at the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and previously a journalist for several years on The Spectator and Financial Times. He was until recently a civil service commissioner chairing selection panels for senior civil service appointments. 

Catherine Bell a non-executive director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Ensus Ltd and United Utilities plc.  Formerly acting permanent secretary at the DTI 2005; she is currently chair of the property trustees of the Civil Service Benevolent Fund and a governor of the London School of Economics.

Elizabeth McMeikan since 2005 has been a civil service commissioner and a non-executive director of JD Wetherspoon plc acting on a number of its board committees - remuneration, nominations and audit. She is also a non-executive director of Direct Wines Ltd chairing its remuneration committee. Between 2004 and 2006 she was a member of the Insolvency Services steering board. Formerly she spent 12 years in a wide variety of commercial roles with Tesco plc ranging from marketing, business development through to human resources responsibilities.

Full list of public members from 26 November:

Tim Anderson, Hugh Becker*, Tony Berkeley, Anthony Bicknell, Nigel Bicknell, Tracey Bleakley, Duncan Boulton, Jonathan Bray*, Geof Butterwick, David Campbell, Jeremy Candfield, Dominic Carter, Dudley Coates, Sarah Collett, Peter Corbett, Jonathon Counsell, Kay Dixon, Katherine Deas, Arnab Dutt, Carolyn Dwyer, Jeremy Filmer-Bennett, Mark Fisher, Peter Garland, David Gartside, Stephen Grant, Hamish Hamill, Christopher Hasty, James Hookham, Rhys Jarvis, David Jennings*, Ian Johnson, Samson Kambarami, Olek Keenan, Richard Lambert*, Joan Langley, Christopher Lloyd, Susannah Lloyd, Elizabeth Lloyd-Kendall, Alan Lodge, Andrew Lowery, Subash Ludhra, John Martin, Bill Matthews, Mairi Mclean, Deryk Mead*, Neil Menzies, Andrew Millward, David Moore, Niamh O’Sullivan, David Pemberton, David Pett, Jean-Pierre Ramirez, Keith Read, Gordon Reid, John Richardson, Bob Rixham, Peter Roberts, William Robinson, Anna Rusted, Ted Sangster, Geoffrey Sallis, Ramnik Saund, Margaret Serna, Trevor Shears, Brian Smith, Christopher Smith, Colin Smith, Ralph Tiffin, Bill Ure, Noel Wade, Peter Waller, Gregory Watson, Kevin Williams, Nina Wrightson, Brian Yates

*= existing member re-appointed.


Full list of current industry members:

ALSTOM Transport, Amey Rail Ltd, Arriva Trains Wales Ltd, Babcock Rail, Balfour Beatty Rail Ltd, Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd, c2c rail Ltd, Carillion Construction Ltd, Colas Rail Ltd, DB Schenker, Department for Transport, Eurostar (UK) Ltd, Fastline Ltd, First Greater Western Ltd, Freightliner Ltd, Heathrow Express Operating Company Ltd, London & North Western Railway Company Ltd, London Underground Ltd, New Southern Railway Ltd, Northern Rail Ltd, Pre Metro Operations Ltd, Serco Ltd, Siemens Plc, Stagecoach South Western Trains Ltd, Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive, VolkerRail Ltd, West Coast Railway Company Ltd, West Coast Trains Ltd.