https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/rail-delivery-group-announces-restructuring-and-leadership-changes/57421.articleUK▸ : The Rail Delivery Group has announced leadership changes, and a restructuring which it said is designed to make it better placed to support the reform of the rail industry.
Steve Montgomery, Managing Director of FirstGroup?s First Rail business, becomes RDG‡ Chair, succeeding Chris Burchell who is to step down as Managing Director of Arriva UK Trains in mid-October and leave the rail sector.
RDG Chief Executive Paul Plummer will retire at the end of this year, in a move which was delayed from autumn 2019 when RDG asked him to stay because it had not been possible to secure the ?right alternative? candidate
In the expectation that the government will create a ?guiding mind? to bring greater co-ordination to the railway, RDG has been restructured with two ?pillars? which it said ?currently? sit within the same organisation.
The first is Service Delivery, which provides functions to support the operation of the railway such as ticketing systems and online journey planning. This will be led by current RDG Chief Operating Officer Jacqueline Starr, who becomes overall RDG Chief Executive Officer.
The second pillar is Advocacy & Change, which aims to contribute to the development of railway policy while also facilitating cross-industry collaboration. This will be led by current Chief Strategy Officer Andy Bagnall who becomes RDG Director General..