Leadership team

Meet the leadership team operating London’s flagship railway

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Mike Bagshaw

Managing Director

Mike Bagshaw

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Managing Director

Mike Bagshaw

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Managing Director

Mike was appointed Managing Director of MTR Elizabeth line in February 2023. He first joined MTR in 2016 as Bid Director before becoming Performance and Planning Director of MTR Elizabeth line in 2018 and Chief Operating Officer of MTR UK in 2021.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the rail industry, Mike began his career in frontline customer-facing roles before transitioning to focus on performance and planning. As part of the initial management team that developed Chiltern Railways’ expansion to the West Midlands, Mike helped to deliver exceptional passenger growth, operational performance, and customer satisfaction. At Arriva Trains Wales, Mike transformed performance and introduced a new standard pattern timetable throughout Wales.

At MTR, his responsibilities have included overseeing the planning and delivery of the end-to-end Elizabeth line, developing industry-leading operational performance and planning capability, and expanding a successful operating business portfolio.

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Nick Arthurton

Concession Director

Nick Arthurton

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Concession Director

Nick Arthurton

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Concession Director

Nick joined as Concession Director in June 2022 having gained an impressive mix of industry knowledge and experience from his time with East West Rail, Chiltern Railways, Network Rail and TfL.

Nick has extensive commercial, change management and operational experience in private and public sector rail organisations up to Board level.

 

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Lisa Wheatcroft

People Director

Lisa Wheatcroft

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People Director

Lisa Wheatcroft

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People Director

Lisa has extensive HR, operations and consultancy experience at the most senior level and is recognised for her ability to drive positive change and business transformation through the delivery of an impactful and effective people strategy. Lisa leads a multi-functional team that delivers across all disciplines of the people function from HR and training to culture and engagement.

Lisa has held several senior roles including COO, HR Director and Head of HR within the aviation and retail industries.

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Ben Milway

Finance and Business Systems Director

Ben Milway

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Finance and Business Systems Director

Ben Milway

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Finance and Business Systems Director

Ben joined MTR Elizabeth line in 2020 to manage areas including Finance, IT, Procurement, Audit, Innovation, Risk and Business Resilience, and Data and Intelligence. Ben’s knowledge and breadth of expertise has been gained from roles including Finance Director at Network Rail, where he led finance and business change functions across major operational business units, as well as large scale capital projects. Most recently, he has taken on responsibility for Quality and Environment.

Ben is a CIMA qualified accountant and holds a PMI certificate in pension trusteeship from his previous role as Trustee Director for the Network Rail CARE and NRDC pension schemes.

 

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Nick Westcott

Train Service Delivery Director

Nick Westcott

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Train Service Delivery Director

Nick Westcott

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Train Service Delivery Director

Nick oversees operations of the Elizabeth line through the train planning, control, performance, and security functions. Nick joined MTR Elizabeth line in 2023 from Avanti West Coast where he worked as Operations Director, focused on the delivery of long-distance intercity train services between the country’s largest cities. With over 15 years’ rail experience, Nick has worked across the disciplines of driver management, control, performance and crew resourcing for train operators including Virgin Trains, First TransPennine Express, and First Capital Connect.

Nick is a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators and has degrees in Transport and Business Management from Loughborough University, and Railway Operations Management from Glasgow Caledonian University.

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Paul Parsons

Customer Experience Director

Paul Parsons

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Customer Experience Director

Paul Parsons

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Customer Experience Director

Paul joined MTR Elizabeth line in January 2015 as Customer Experience Director following a highly successful career in the retail industry where he led numerous major customer service transformations.

Paul has utilised his extensive experience to help position the Elizabeth line as a world-class customer service provider. Within months of opening, the Elizabeth line was recognised for its industry-leading customer satisfaction results, setting the bar for customer service in the UK rail industry.

Paul Groves

Driver Operations and Safety Director

Paul Groves

Driver Operations and Safety Director

Paul Groves

Driver Operations and Safety Director

Paul joined MTR Elizabeth line in 2015 and manages areas in Driver Operations, including driver resourcing strategy and delivery, industrial relationships across all levels with ALSEF, MTR Elizabeth line’s driver training strategy, as well as day-to-day performance for frontline driver operational delivery. Paul’s operational acumen has been honed across both Driver Operations and Control room functions, and he has recently taken on accountability for MTR Elizabeth line’s Safety and Operational Standards functions.

Paul has been responsible for a number of key delivery items during his time at MTR Elizabeth line, including operationalising both the Western and Central regions of the route for the commencement of service, the establishment of new driver depots at Old Oak Common, Maidenhead, Abbey Wood and Plumstead, and consulting on MTR Elizabeth line’s COVID-19 response with ASLEF to enable the continuation of Driver training activities.

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Kev Jones

Engineering Director

Kev Jones

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Engineering Director

Kev Jones

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Engineering Director

Kev joined MTR Elizabeth line from Abellio where he led the Engineering elements for their bid team.

Kev has enjoyed a very successful career in the National Rail industry, where he was responsible for a number of new fleet introductions and the management of various engineering teams and locations.

2024

National Rail Awards

Outstanding Personal Contribution: Suresh Gorasia
Shortlisted

National Rail Awards

Operator of the Year
Shortlisted

Spotlight Awards

Operator of the Year
Winner

Spotlight Awards

Training Excellence
Highly Commended

Spotlight Awards

Young Rail Professional – Scott McCloud
Shortlisted

Spotlight Awards

Delivering for the Customer
Shortlisted

Spotlight Awards

Best Use of Technology
Shortlisted

Rail Business Awards

Education & Training Excellence Award
Winner

Rail Business Awards

Rail Business of the Year
Winner

Rail Business Awards

Rail Team of the Year – Customer Experience
Winner

Rail Business Awards

Train Operator of the Year
Winner

2023

UK Customer Experience Awards

Best Business Change and Transformation
Silver

National Transport Awards

Rail Operator of the Year
Winner

Gold Award

TIDE Awards
Winner

National Rail Awards

Passenger Operator of the Year
Winner

Spotlight Awards

Corporate Social Responsibility
Winner

Rail Business Awards

Infrastructure Project and Station Excellence: Surface station improvements programme
Winner

Rail Business Awards

Judges Award
Winner

Golden Whistle Awards

Special award – Elizabeth line
Winner

Personnel Today Awards

HR Impact
Shortlisted

Personnel Today Awards

Health & Wellbeing Award – Smaller Employers & HR Impact Award
Shorlisted

Spotlight Awards

Best Use of Technology
Shortlisted

Spotlight Awards

Acting as One Team
Shortlisted

Railway Innovation Awards

Innovation award
Shortlisted

PFM Awards

Partners in Cleaning
Shortlisted

Rail Business Awards

Train Operator of the Year
High commended

Rail Business Awards

Rail Team of the Year: Train Service Delivery Team
High commended

Rail Business Awards

Customer Service Excellence
Highly commended

2022

National Rail Awards

Large station of the year – Paddington
Highly Commended

National Rail Awards

Medium station of the year – Abbey Wood
Highly Commended

Golden Spanners

Class 345s in the Second Generation new EMU category
Silver award

Golden Spanners

Class 315s in the Ex BR EMU category
Bronze Award

Rail Staff Awards

Richard Baker (Samaritans’ Lifesaver Award)
Highly Commended

Rail Staff Awards

Charlene Peirson (Customer Service Award)
Highly Commended

National Apprenticeships Awards

London Regional Winner
Winner

Customer Experience Awards 2022

Customers at the heart of everything
Highly Commended