Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), has announced that John Gerrard has been appointed as its chief finance officer (CFO) and will begin the role in November.
John will bring significant experience to GTR – he is currently lead finance director at Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT). There, he has been responsible for leading the team that has created new, whole industry financial tools and insight so that, for the first time, industry leaders can see the full picture on costs and revenues, including how they interact with each other across the system.
Within GBRTT he has also been a member of the fares, ticketing and rail reform Programme Board providing support and steer. He has also held a number of senior roles during 15 years at Network Rail.
Ralph Pidlsey, GTR’s current CFO, will retire this week. Having joined GTR in 2022 Ralph has been instrumental in supporting GTR’s recovery following the global pandemic.
Angie Doll, GTR’s chief executive officer, said: “I’m delighted to welcome John to GTR. He’s had an impressive career and will be a great addition to my team and the wider organisation. Not only are his technical skills excellent, but John is a natural collaborator with a keen eye on getting the best value for the customer. His experience of working with partners across the rail sector to introduce an industry-wide financial reporting framework means he will bring a rounded perspective of the sector.
“I would also like to give my thanks to Ralph for his leadership and support during his time as our Chief Finance Officer. He will be missed, and on behalf of everyone at GTR I wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”
John said: “As a customer of GTR I’m very familiar with its services and I’m proud to join and be a part of the UK’s biggest railway operator. It’s a very important time for the industry and there’s a great opportunity for GTR to show how it can innovate to deliver value for money for customers as well as financial sustainability.
“I’m looking forward to meeting my new colleagues who I know work incredibly hard to serve their customers, and I’m excited at the prospect of using my skills and experiences to help improve GTR’s services for the hundreds of thousands of customers who use them.”
Image credit: GTR
