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Wednesday 22 Jan 2025

Network Rail appoints new Southern Managing Director to its Executive Leadership Team

Region & Route:

Southern

• Dave Hooper will join as Managing Director, Southern region on 1 May 2025
• He replaces Ellie Burrows who moves to become Managing Director of Eastern

Network Rail has today announced the appointment of Dave Hooper as new Managing Director for its Southern region.

Dave will join Network Rail Southern on 1 May, replacing Ellie Burrows who will move to become Managing Director for the company’s Eastern region. The Southern region serves rail passengers and freight operators from Devon in the West, to Kent in the East, covering 544 stations and around 700 million passenger journeys each year. 

Currently Director of Major Programmes at Siemens Mobility, Dave has held a number of leadership roles across the rail sector, including Osborne, Transport for London, Serco Rail operations and director level roles in two train operating companies. He also previously worked for Network Rail where he led some early track-train integration work in partnership with South West Trains.  

Sir Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of Network Rail, said: “I’m extremely pleased that Dave will be joining our team. He brings exceptionally broad rail experience at an exciting time for the sector. As well as time spent with Network Rail previously on some early track-train integration thinking, he has broad experience of train operations and the supply chain which will be a huge benefit for us as we move ahead towards an integrated industry.”

Dave Hooper added: “I’m exhilarated to be joining the Network Rail Executive Leadership team at such an exciting time for the UK’s railway. I look forward to working together as one team, with the teams across Network Rail and with our wider industry partners, to improve the service offering for our passengers and freight customers.”

Network Rail has previously announced these moves within its Executive Leadership Team: Ellie Burrows will become Managing Director, Eastern replacing Jake Kelly, who will move to become Managing Director of North West & Central region. He replaces Rob McIntosh who will become the independent chair of the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme board and support GBR in developing its relationship with the mayoral authorities.