Global Railway Review welcomes new Editorial Advisory Board members

Craig Waters, Editor, said: “Global Railway Review is committed to keeping our readers informed of current and future rail industry developments from around the world and we achieve this via our mix of project and investment coverage, regional and country profiles, technical features and thought-leadership interviews with key industry experts. To help with our continuing success, we are delighted to welcome three familiar industry faces onto our Editorial Advisory Board.”

Maggie Simpson, RFG

Commenting on joining the board, Maggie Simpson, Director General of the Rail Freight Group (RFG), said: “I’m really pleased to be joining the Advisory Board of Global Railway Review. At RFG we work with our members to promote growth and investment in the UK, but many of the challenges we face are shared with railways across the world. I’m looking forward to debating these topics in the magazine and bringing new perspectives to readers.”

Maggie has worked at the RFG since 2005 and is a key industry influencer for the growth of rail freight. In her recent Women Inspiring Rail interview with Global Railway Review, she discussed how she strives to help rail freight become the narrative of businesses across the UK. She said: “Being in rail freight is a real privilege because it has such a wide reach across so many parts of our economy. I get to learn about ports, international trade, shipping, quarrying, construction, steel distribution, retail and a whole host of other areas just by talking to our members. The railways are such a fundamental part of the wider business framework in the UK, and when we can help those businesses improve their supply chains it is really rewarding.”

Darren Caplan, RIA

On joining the board, Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “I am happy to join the Global Railway Review Editorial Advisory Board, and excited that RIA – as the national voice for the railway supply community – will be able to advise on and provide content about, and of interest to, the rail supply sector. It is important that RIA fully utilises platforms like Global Railway Review so we can highlight the many important industry challenges we face in what are clearly uncertain times, with, for example, the railways restructuring under the Williams Rail Review, threats to major rail projects, and of course, the need to navigate the challenges and opportunities of Brexit. We hope our involvement with Global Railway Review will enable us to promote the positive side of rail and help ultimately to build a bigger and better railway supply sector in the years ahead.”

Darren joined the RIA as Chief Executive in January 2017. Since then he has led the team with a mission to promote rail supply sector growth, increase the RIA’s visibility amongst political and stakeholder decision-makers and influencers, and ensure the RIA develops into the very best trade association it can be for its members. Prior to the RIA, Darren was for six years Chief Executive of the Airport Operators Association (AOA), and prior to this he worked for 14 years in communications, politics and public affairs across several sectors including infrastructure, planning and technology.

The third person to join Global Railway Review’s Editorial Advisory Board is Maria Price, Expert in the Technical Interoperability Department at the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF). Maria’s experience in rail spans roles at the European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM), the European Commission and the International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP).

Maria Price, OTIF

In Maria’s recent Women Inspiring Rail interview with Global Railway Review, she explains how her rail career began, what she is responsible for in her current role plus her biggest rail career achievements.

She said: “My current responsibility at OTIF is to promote and facilitate the implementation of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF). This is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to international rail transport which currently has 51 member states from Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. I am employed as a subject matter expert and my team is currently updating and revising the appendices to the convention that deal with the technical provisions on harmonisation and technical interoperability. I work closely with the European Commission and ERA with the view to establishing and maintaining equivalence between international and European Union legal provisions. I am also dealing with cross cutting activities between the Technologies, Legal and RID departments on issued related to digitalisation and dangerous goods.”

Maggie, Maria and Darren join Global Railway Review’s current Editorial Advisory Board Members:

• Libor Lochman, Executive Director, Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER)
• Philippe Citroën, Director General, UNIFE
• Simon Fletcher, Coordinator Europe & Chief Standardisation Officer, International Union of Railways (UIC)
• Ben Möbius, Managing Director, German Railway Industry Association (VDB)
• Andy Kunz, President & CEO, US High Speed Rail Association (USHSR)
• Martin Platzer, Senior Advisor, voestalpine Railway Systems.

Craig concluded: “I look forward to working with our Editorial Advisory Board Members to ensure Global Railway Review is a platform for them to showcase their organisations’ achievements and a place for them to share their industry views and opinions.”