The Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB), the organisation at the forefront of light rail safety in the UK, has appointed a sector-specific finance expert, Ian Law, to its board of directors. Mr. Law brings a wealth of commercial experience to the organisation as it plans to expand the scope of its operations and pursue greater independence.
Mr. Law currently serves as the head of business transformation at South Yorkshire Supertram, where he recently led the finance team through its successful transition into local authority control.
Invaluable Commercial Experience
The new board member’s background includes extensive commercial and financial leadership roles across major UK light rail networks. He previously worked for Manchester Metrolink, joining in 2001 to manage the business through significant change, including fleet replacements, the opening of several extensions, and the commissioning of a second depot. As Financial Director, he was responsible for evaluating and negotiating the associated contract changes.
More recently, Mr. Law developed the financial model that underpinned the successful business case for the Newhaven extension in Edinburgh and assisted West Midlands Metro with a commercial strategy as its operations returned to public ownership.
Carl Williams, Chief Executive of the LRSSB, commented on the appointment: “As the light rail sector continues to grow, our organisation will continue to evolve in line with its requirements, and Ian’s experience will prove invaluable as we explore a range of commercial opportunities and work towards greater independence.”
Focus on Growth and Success
Mr. Law has already been working with the LRSSB and expressed enthusiasm for his new non-executive director role.
On his appointment, Ian said: “Having already assisted the organisation with business planning and commercial modelling, I’m excited at the prospect of taking this work forward as a non-executive director. I’m also looking forward to supporting the LRSSB team as they build on their undoubted success over the past few years,” he added.
His expertise is expected to be crucial as the LRSSB moves to solidify its financial position and expand its mandate within the growing light rail sector.
