Transport
secretary
Mark
Harper


has
appointed
Keith
Smithson
and
Joanna
Davinson
as
new
non-executive
directors
of
HS2
Ltd.

The
Department
for
Transport
said
Keith
and
Joanna
will
work
alongside
HS2
Ltd’s
chair
Sir
Jonathan
Thompson,
to
‘provide
oversight
and
accountability’
and
‘ensuring
costs
are
controlled’
and
the
project
completed
‘in
the
most
effective
way
for
taxpayers’.
HS2
continues
to
be
the
focus
of
speculation
about
the
future
of
London
Euston
as
the
city
centre
terminus.
Work
on
the
site
has
been
paused
for
two
years
while
the
costs
of
building
onwards
from
Old
Oak
Common
are
reviewed.

Joanna
Davinson
is
a
civil
servant
who
has
served
as
the
executive
director
of
the
Central
Digital
and
Data
Office
at
the
Cabinet
Office,
while
Keith
Smithson
comes
from
the
financial
sector.
He
has
already
held
several
executive
positions
at
organisations
like
HSBC,
Paragon
Banking
Group
and
accountants
KPMG. 

Transport
secretary
Mark
Harper
said:
‘I’m
delighted
to
make
these
updates
to
the
board
today
and
welcome
Joanna
and
Keith
to
the
team.

‘They
bring
with
them
a
wealth
of
experience
and
I’m
confident
the
right
people
are
in
place
to
robustly
grip
costs,
hold
HS2
Ltd
to
account
and
drive
forward
this
revolutionary
project.’

Deputy
chair
Elaine
Holt
and
the
government’s
special
director
Ian
King
have
been
reappointed
for
a
further
four
years.
Dame
Judith
Hackitt
and
Stephen
Hughes
have
also
been
reappointed
as
non-executive
directors
for
a
further
three
years.
Mel
Ewell
and
Roger
Mountford
left
the
Board
recently
as
non-executive
directors
having
completed
full
terms
on
the
HS2
board.