NETWORK RAIL CONFIRMS FUTURE CHAIRMAN

Monday 23 Mar 2009

NETWORK RAIL CONFIRMS FUTURE CHAIRMAN

Region & Route:: National

Network Rail today confirmed the appointment of its future chairman, Rick Haythornthwaite.

The confirmation of his appointment follows a recent meeting with its members, Network Rail's equivalent of shareholders.

Rick will start with the company on 23 March 2009 as a non-executive director, taking up his position as chairman in July when Sir Ian McAllister steps down at the company's AGM.

Notes to editors

• Rick Haythornthwaite's appointment will also be ratified at the company's AGM in July as a normal election resolution. • In an executive role, he was CEO of Invensys plc, from 2001 to 2005, leading the rescue and restructuring of the £7bn turnover company. He was also group chief executive of Blue Circle industries and spent 18 years with BP in various senior roles. • He is currently non-executive chairman of Mastercard Inc, a senior advisor to STAR Capital Partners and president of PSA Energy. His previous non-executive roles included board membership of ICI and Lafarge. • In the voluntary sector, he is also chairman of the Southbank Centre and the Risk and Regulation Advisory Council. • Mr Haythornthwaite, born in 1956, is married and has two adult children. • The selection comes following Sir Ian McAllister (the existing chairman) announcing in October 2008, his intention to step down from the Board following the company's AGM in July 2009

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