UK: Chris Burchell has been appointed as Chair of the Rail Safety & Standards Board with effect from January 1 2026.
He has been Managing Director for Distribution at electricity supplier SSE plc since November 2020, having previously worked in the rail industry where he was Area Production Manager at Railtrack in 1996-2002 and held senior roles including Managing Director of Southern Railway 2009-14 and Arriva UK Trains in 2014-20. He chaired the Rail Delivery Group in 2017-20 and the Railway Industry National Task Force, and was a non-executive director of water regulator Ofwat in 2013-16.
‘This is a pivotal moment for our industry as it enters a new phase of change and all the opportunities that brings’, he said when his appointment was announced on December 8. ‘We need to embrace it across all aspects of the system — economic, technological, cultural and operational — to help navigate the sector towards a stronger, resilient future. My focus at RSSB will be on helping the rail industry deliver practical improvements that matter to colleagues and customers: safer, more reliable services that earn trust and support sustainable growth.’
David Jordan, RSSB’s Interim Chair and Senior Non-Executive Director (Rolling Stock Owners), said, ‘I am pleased to hand over to Chris at such an important time for the industry. His experience across rail and energy will bring fresh insight and strong leadership to RSSB. I know his perspective will help the board navigate the challenges ahead and seize opportunities to strengthen the industry’s resilience and long-term success.’