Northern has appointed Warrick Dent as its new Chief Operating Officer, with the current Department for Transport Operator (DFTO) executive set to join the business in May.
Dent will succeed Matt Rice, who is leaving the role to pursue an opportunity outside the rail sector.
He joins Northern from DFTO, where he currently serves as Group Operations and Performance Director. His appointment brings experience from across both train operations and infrastructure.
Prior to DFTO, Dent was Safety and Operations Director at London North Eastern Railway (LNER), where he led service delivery from 2018. During his time there, he oversaw the introduction of the Azuma fleet, contributed to the East Coast Upgrade programme and led the rollout of the December 2025 East Coast Main Line timetable.
Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Network Rail, including Area Director for the North East, and also worked at Virgin Trains East Coast before transitioning into LNER.
Tricia Williams, Managing Director at Northern, said Dent’s experience would support the operator’s continued focus on performance and reliability.
“Warrick brings a strong track record of delivering operational improvements and managing complex change across the industry,” she said. “His experience at both operator and system level will be valuable as we continue to strengthen day-to-day delivery for our customers.”
Alex Hynes, Chief Executive at DFTO, added: “Warrick has made a significant contribution during his time with us, and I’m confident he will have a positive impact at Northern.”
Dent said he was looking forward to joining the business at a key point in its development.
“Northern is a major operator with a vital role across the North of England, and I’m looking forward to supporting the team as it continues to improve services,” he said.
Northern operates around 2,650 services each day, serving more than 500 stations across the region.
