Network
Rail

has
named
the
acting
chair
who
is
replacing
Lord
Peter
Hendy,
after
he
was
appointed
rail
minister
at
the
Department
for
Transport
on
8
July.

His
successor
for
now
is
Network
Rail
senior
non-executive
director
Mike
Putnam.

Mr
Putnam,
who
is
a
chartered
engineer,
joined
the
Board
of
Network
Rail
in
2018
and
has
over
25
years’
executive
experience
in
the
development,
construction
and
services
sectors.

He
was
president
and
chief
executive
officer
of
Skanska
UK
plc
until
May
2017,
and
is
currently
an
independent
non-executive
director
of
TransPennine
Route
Upgrade,
a
non-executive
director
of
Bazalgette
Tunnel
Limited
(Thames
Tideway),
vice-chair
of
the
Supervisory
Board
of
Arcadis
NV
and
a
non-executive
director
with
Finning
Inc
of
Vancouver.
He
has
also
been
a
non-executive
director
of
Southern
Water
Services
for
the
past
seven
years,
but
will
be
stepping
down
at
the
end
of
July.

Network
Rail
chief
executive
Andrew
Haines
said:
‘Mike
has
been
an
invaluable
member
of
our
Board
for
over
six
years
and
his
immense
experience
will
continue
to
be
a
huge
asset
to
the
Board,
to
me
and
to
the
company.’

Mike
Putnam
added:
‘Peter’s
are
big
shoes
to
fill
as
I
help
to
push
Network
Rail
forward
to
address
its
key
priorities
of
running
a
safe
and
better
performing
railway,
whilst
helping
Andrew
to
get
the
company,
and
the
whole
industry
ready,
for
its
journey
into
a
new
chapter
with
the
establishment
of
Great
British
Railways.’

Network
Rail
said
the
process
of
appointing
a
permanent
successor
to
Lord
Hendy
will
begin
‘in
due
course’
and
be
led
by
the
transport
secretary,
Louise
Haigh.