Member News

Rail Supply Group Appoints James Bain as New Chair

12 July 2022 | Rail Supply Group

Following the decision by the current Rail Supply Group (RSG) Chair, Philip Hoare, President of Atkins, to step down after four years from his role as Chair of the RSG, James Bain, CEO Worldline UK and Europe, has been appointed as his successor.

James has worked in the rail industry for over twenty-three years both industry-side with Virgin Trains and Arriva Cross Country and supply-side with Worldline. Through this time James has worked closely with Rail Delivery Group, Rail Safety and Standards Board, Network Rail, multiple Train Operating Companies, Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. James has also been a member of the RSG Council since 2018 and previously led its work in the area of data and mobility.

Philip Hoare, outgoing Chair of the RSG, said:“I am delighted that James Bain will succeed me as the Chair of the Rail Supply Group. James will continue to take the RSG forward, building on our unique partnership between industry and government. Over the last three years, he has played an important role to deliver the RSG’s commitment to create a platform for sharing data across the rail industry, showing how he leads by example and works in the best interests of the whole sector. I have been privileged to be the Chair over the last four years, a role I have thoroughly enjoyed and can leave now knowing that the RSG will continue to flourish under James’s leadership.”

James Bain said: “I am delighted and humbled to be asked to take on the role of Chair for the Rail Supply Group. It has been a privilege to work with Phillip over the last four years through the delivery of commitments made in the Rail Sector Deal and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his stellar commitment to our industry. I look forward to building on Philip’s work in ensuring the Rail Supply Group plays a central part in the future of the railway through the creation and implementation of Great British Railways. The bi-centennial anniversary of the historic Locomotion service from Stockton to Darlington is almost upon us, private sector innovation partnered with public sector delivery will ensure the railway will be fit for the next two hundred years.”

Anna Ince, the current Vice-Chair, will be continuing in her role and said: “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Philip and I am very much looking forward to working with James as the Rail Supply Group moves forward to address the rail industry’s challenges.”

James will be taking forward the RSG’s programme of work which is focussing on the following five priorities:
• Delivering the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail
• Increasing customer revenues
• Addressing unit costs and inflation
• Increasing strategic supply chain resilience
• Sustainability and decarbonisation

For more information please contact:
David Bagshaw: 07473 183197 / [email protected]

Notes to Editors

1. The RSG plays a unique role in the industry as a partnership between industry and government to deliver shared objectives. It takes a whole-industry impartial perspective to work in the best interests of the whole rail sector.

2. The RSG Council includes Government representatives from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for Transport, Supplier Industry Champions, Rail Delivery Group, GBR Transition Team, Network Rail, HS2, Transport for London, Unite, Railway Industry Association, Rail Forum, Rail Freight Group, RBD Community.

3. The RSG’s primary aims are to:
 a. Facilitate, support, and expedite the delivery of bilateral commitments made by government and industry to improve the future of the railway.
 b. Ensure that supply chain opportunities, challenges and engagement are an integral part in the development and delivery of the industry’s strategy and plans.
 c. Lead and deliver critical initiatives that have industry-wide impact and are aligned and integrated with the aims of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail reforms, and the Whole Industry Strategic Plan.

4. In July 2020, the RSG was invited by Government – the Departments for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Transport (DfT) – to form a Taskforce to put in place measures to help the industry recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

5. You can read more about the RSG on our website and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.