Our People

Meet our executive team...

Alex Hynes

Alex Hynes, Managing Director, Scotland’s Railway

Alex Hynes was appointed Managing Director of the ScotRail Alliance in June 2017. Two years later, he was promoted to the broader role of Managing Director, Scotland’s Railway, following further operational devolution from Network Rail to Scotland. He currently leads the delivery of Scotland’s Railway through the ScotRail Alliance.

Before joining Scotland’s Railway, Alex was Managing Director of the Northern rail franchise for three and a half years, where he successfully delivered their best-ever customer satisfaction scores as well as record levels of employee engagement.

An experienced transport professional, Alex has over 20 years of industry experience and a proven track record of delivering rail improvement and investment programmes.

Having spent his early career as a consultant for Halcrow Fox, Alex worked at the Office of Rail Regulation before joining the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 as Strategic Planning Manager and, in 2007, as Commercial Director at London Midland, and finally, as Managing Director – Rail Development.

Alex is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, a Fellow of the Permanent Way Institution, a member and former Chair of the Institution of Railway Operators, and a member of the Scotland Advisory Board for Business in the Community.

He was named Industry Leader of the Year 2018 at the Rail Business Awards.

Alex lives in Perthshire and commutes (by train) to Glasgow.


Joanne Maguire

Joanne Maguire, Chief Operating Officer

Responsibilities

The Chief Operating Officer has overall responsibility for ensuring ScotRail Trains achieves its business objectives across a spectrum of areas including safety, finance, operations, people, and corporate social responsibility, working collaboratively with a range of partners and stakeholders.

Biography

Joanne joined ScotRail Trains on 1 April 2022, leading the business through the transition to the new public body.

Before joining ScotRail, Joanne was Vice Principal of Resources at the University of the West of Scotland, where she was responsible for, among other things, Finance, HR and industrial relations, health and safety, sustainability, and information services.

Joanne was previously Executive Director for HR at the university and has held senior leadership roles at City of Glasgow College, as well as in the manufacturing and retail sectors.


Lesley Kane

Lesley Kane, Commercial Director

Responsibilities

Our commercial department is focused on winning new business, exploring new avenues of activity, and seeking opportunities for the company to develop and grow our customer base.

Biography

Lesley Kane is ScotRail’s Commercial Director, with responsibility for revenue development, sales & marketing, customer operations, customer experience, smart ticketing and more.

Lesley has more than 20 years’ experience leading commercial teams across Europe & Canada. Between 1996 and 2014 Lesley held a number of senior Dublin-based roles at Ryanair, before spending three years as the Commercial Director of the Canadian airline Air Transat.


David Lister

David Lister, Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director

Responsibilities

Our sustainability and safety team combine health and safety into longer term sustainable practices to provide economic stability, protect the company, and the environment.

Our engineering directorate leads on maintaining ScotRail’s train fleet and improving train performance and safety.

Biography

David joined ScotRail in 2015. He is responsible for Engineering, Safety, Security, Sustainability, facilities management, quality, and projects for ScotRail.

Prior to joining the rail industry David spent the previous 10 years working in the aviation sector as Operations Director at London Southend as well as Customer Services Director for Edinburgh Airport.

David has an Engineering Degree and is both a Six Sigma Black belt and Lean practitioner.

In addition to the transport sector, David has previously worked in the manufacturing, electronics, and chemical sectors for companies including Kimberly Clark, Motorola, and GE.


David Ross Communications Director

David Ross, Communications Director

Responsibilities

The Communications team is responsible for protecting and enhancing the reputation of ScotRail. It is responsible for internal communications, media relations, engagement with elected representatives and business groups, and social media.

Biography

David joined ScotRail in 2017 after a decade in politics. He has worked in the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Scottish Parliament, and was a member of senior leadership teams during the 2014 referendum, 2015 General Election, and 2016 Scottish Parliament election. David was also in the senior team on party leadership campaigns in 2014 and 2015.

He is married to Paula and has two children (aged four and two).


Derek Marchant, ScotRail Finance Director, wearing a blue suit and tie

Derek Marchant, Finance Director

Responsibilities

The Finance directorate includes finance, internal audit and risk, planning and regulation, procurement, and long-term planning and funding.

Biography

Derek joined ScotRail in November 2022, following his time as divisional Head of Finance at the University of Glasgow. The last two years of that time were spent as finance lead at Scotland’s national COVID testing centre, where he was on secondment from the University of Glasgow. He is a Chartered Accountant, with over 20 years’ experience in both private and public sectors working across a number of industries, including construction, life sciences, manufacturing, and service delivery.


Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director

Phil Campbell, Customer Operations Director

Responsibilities

The Customer Operations directorate covers ScotRail’s customer-facing and front line teams, including on-train and station staff as well as overseeing special events. The team is focussed on attracting more people to choose to travel by rail by providing customers with the best possible service.

Biography

Phil joined ScotRail in 1991 – then under British Rail ownership – as a railway trainee, the equivalent of today’s customer apprenticeship scheme. In his 32 years in the railway, he has worked in a variety of frontline and HQ roles, including ticket examiner, station staff, dispatcher, station team manager, and operational support. His most recent role was Head of Customer Operations.


The ScotRail Trains Limited Board has three Board committees, which assist the Board with its responsibilities.

The ScotRail Trains Limited Board members are:

  • Chair: David Lowrie, Scottish Rail Holdings Chief Executive Officer
  • John MacQuarrie, Scottish Rail Holdings Rail Business Director
  • Alex Hynes, Managing Director, Scotland's Railway
  • Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Trains Limited Chief Operating Officer
  • Derek Marchant, ScotRail Trains Limited Finance Director
  • David Lister, ScotRail Trains Limited Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director
  • Lesley Kane, ScotRail Trains Limited Commercial Director
  • Julie Dale, ScotRail Trains Limited HR Director
  • Emma Dixon, Scottish Rail Holdings General Counsel
  • Carolyn Griffiths, Scottish Rail Holdings, Non-Executive Director

The Audit and Risk committee oversees the adequacy and effective operation of ScotRail Trains overall governance and internal control system, including: Risk Management, Financial, Operational and Compliance controls. The committee reviews and reports to the Board on these along with the related assurances that underpin the delivery of the organisation’s objectives.

The ScotRail Trains Limited Board Audit & Risk Committee members are:

  • Chair: Lee Shedden, Scottish Rail Holdings Non-executive Director
  • David Lowrie, Scottish Rail Holdings Chief Executive Officer
  • Emma Dixon, Scottish Rail Holdings General Counsel
  • ScotRail Trains Limited executives in attendance

The Nominations committee supports the Board in its governance responsibilities for issues regarding the nomination, appointment, and remuneration of employees and officers of the company.

The ScotRail Trains Limited Nominations Committee members are:

  • Chair: Lee Shedden, Scottish Rail Holdings Non-executive Director
  • David Lowrie, Scottish Rail Holdings Chief Executive Officer
  • Emma Dixon, Scottish Rail Holdings General Counsel
  • Alex Hynes, Managing Director, Scotland's Railway
  • Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Trains Limited Chief Operating Officer
  • Company Secretary - to be confirmed

The Safety, Health & Environmental committee monitors whether ScotRail Trains is setting an appropriate culture of internal control and risk management in relation to health, safety security and environment; assesses whether the resources devoted to the management of those matters are adequate; and ensures that reporting arrangements are of high quality. The Committee reports to the Boards of ScotRail Trains Limited and Scottish Rail Holdings Limited.

The ScotRail Trains Limited Board Safety, Health & Environment Committee members are:

  • Chair: TBC
  • David Lowrie, Scottish Rail Holdings Chief Executive Officer
  • Alex Hynes, Managing Director, Scotland's Railway
  • Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Trains Limited Chief Operating Officer
  • David Lister, ScotRail Trains Limited Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director