Laura Shoaf and Tony Poulter have been officially appointed as non-executive directors to the Department for Transport Operator (DFTO) board.
The move forms a new milestone in the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR), marking the transition from Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR) – currently by Laura Shoaf.
Great British Railways Branding
© Department for Transport
Before now; Alex Hynes, Chief Executive, DFTO, Richard Goodman, Director General for Rail Reform and Strategy in the Department for Transport and Jeremy Westlake, Chief Executive, Network Rail, have worked under Shoaf to establish ways of working, as well as a blueprint for how GBR will work in the future – a framework which is already being followed with integrated leadership in place to bring together workings in the South East and East Anglia.
In her new role on the DFTO board; Shoaf will continue her role in seeking to ensure attention is paid to both passengers’ and staff’s voices with regards to how the railway is run, both now and in the future. Poulter, a member of the Department for Transport (DFT) Board, has previously provided specialist support and strategic advice on Rail Reform, and served as a partner at PwC.
Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:
The leaders working at SGBR have set the standard for the future of British railways. Under their direction, teams are now working together to end years of fragmentation and inefficiency and develop creative and innovative ways of improving the rail network.
Both Laura and Tony will bring expert knowledge and experience to the DFTO board as we get ready for GBR. I look forward to working with them to deliver the reliable, affordable and modern railway passengers deserve.
Thus far; SGBR has already implemented a number of changes within the railway network, including ticket acceptance across all publicly owned operators in the event of disruption and a pilot of digital ticketing trials in Yorkshire and the East Midlands.
Sir Andrew Haines, chair of DFTO, said:
Laura and Tony have very significant experience over a wide range of complementary sectors and will play a vital role in supporting DFTO’s mission to deliver for customers and help build Great British Railways.
I look forward to working with them both as we continue the transfer programme, implement rail reform and improve performance across the network – work that will benefit passengers and represent better value for taxpayers.
There are currently 8 train operators now owned by the public: LNER, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine Express, South Western Railway, c2c, Greater Anglia and WM Trains, with Govia Thameslink Railway set to make the transition on 31 May 2026.