Non-Executive Directors (NED) workshop

SWiFT would like to welcome you to join us on January 16^th 2025, for an insightful Non-Executive Director Workshop at the iconic London Transport Museum, sponsored by Newsom Consulting and hosted by KPMG and Wales and Western, Network Rail.

This exclusive event brings together four esteemed speakers, Susan Cooklin, Oxana Brookes, Barbara Moorhouse and Dr Ros Rivaz, each with a wealth of experience in board leadership, to share practical guidance and expertise with both current and aspiring non-executive directors. Lucy Hardy from the Department for Transport will be in attendance to advise on the public appointment process and opportunities within DfT’s public bodies.

This workshop will explore key topics, including governance trends, risk management, and boardroom dynamics. It’s also an excellent opportunity to connect with peers in the industry and enhance your understanding of the evolving role of non-executive directors in today’s business landscape.

Location

Cubic Theatre, London Transport Museum, 39 Wellington Street Covent Garden Piazza, London SE18 6QB

Speakers

Susan Cooklin
Susan has over ten years’ experience at Board level and currently holds Independent Non-Executive Directorships on the boards of Electricity North West Ltd (a UK distributed Network Operator), NetCompany (a Danish listed IT services company) and NorteGas ES (a Spanish energy company). Susan was Chief Information Officer (CIO) for six years at Network Rail, the UK Rail Infrastructure provider, and became part of the executive committee in 2016 leading a directorate of 6,000 employees delivering some 60 front and back-office services (including IT) and running a budget of circa £3bn.

Her areas of expertise include transformational cultural change and the creation and implementation of technology strategies. She has particular experience in implementing and reviewing large scale IT programmes. Susan owned the enterprise-wide risk for cyber whilst at Network Rail.

Susan retired from executive life in March 2022 allowing her to develop her current non-executive portfolio.

Oxana Brookes
Oxana Brookes leads Redgrave’s Energy and Infrastructure Services practice, specialising in both executive and non-executive search. With more than 20 years of experience, she is a recognised expert in the Infrastructure, Transport, and Utilities sectors.

Oxana partners closely with publicly listed and private equity-backed firms to recruit strategic executives who are shaping the future of these industries. Her expertise extends to solving complex leadership challenges, including talent mapping and driving ESG-led transformations.

Oxana is deeply committed to increasing gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated environments, helping companies build more inclusive leadership teams and ensuring that inclusivity and purpose are embedded into an organisation’s core. She holds an Applied Mathematics Degree from Kiev State University and an MBA from London Business School. She is fluent in Russian and Ukrainian.

Barbara Moorhouse
Barbara is Chair of £4Bn infrastructure fund owned Agility Trains. She is also SID and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Aptitude Software Group plc and non-executive director at Balfour Beatty plc.

Previous non-executive roles include Chair of RSSB, non-executive director and Chair of the Quality and Safety Committee at Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water, SID/Chair of Audit Committee at Medica plc, non-executive director at IDOX plc, Chair of OPM Group, Trustee of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity.

Barbara spent the first 20 years of her career in strategic, commercial and finance roles in publicly listed multinational businesses in the industrials, business services and utilities sectors. From 2000, she was Chief Finance Officer in two international listed software companies.

In 2005, she was appointed Director General at the Ministry of Justice and subsequently the Department for Transport, leading a range of policy and operational functions within HM Government. In 2010, Barbara moved to Westminster City Council as Chief Operating Officer. She embarked on a portfolio career in 2014.

She is a CIMA fellow and a graduate of St Catherine’s College Oxford where she read politics, philosophy and economics.

Dr Ros Rivaz
Ros has extensive experience in executive and non-executive roles across various blue-chip companies. Her executive career includes roles at ExxonMobil, Tate & Lyle, ICI, Diageo and Smith & Nephew where she has held a number senior executive roles leading global transformation in regulated, complex businesses, principally in Manufacturing, Engineering and Supply Chain, latterly adding IT, Regulation and Corporate Social Responsibility to her C-suite accountabilities.

In addition to her corporate roles, Ros has been active in the charity sector and academia, holding positions such as Deputy Chair of Southampton University and Board member of Eton Community CIC, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate in 2015 for her contributions to industry and the voluntary sector. She was a NED of the “Your Life” initiative, which was a Government led, industry sponsored campaign to increase take up of Maths and Physics amongst 14-16 year olds, particularly girls.

Ros is currently Chair of Anglian Water Services and Anglian Water Group, Senior Independent Director with high performance polymer manufacturer – Victrex plc, Lead Independent Director with Aperam SA, the Luxembourg based speciality stainless steel and alloys provider and until 1^st October Ros was Senior Independent Director with the tech and services provider Computacenter and was formerly Chair of the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and a non-Executive Director at Ministry of Defence (DE&S), ConvaTec plc, RPC Ltd, Swiss based CEVA SA, Boparan Holdings and Rexam plc.

Lucy Hardy
Lucy will be attending on behalf of the Public Appointments team at the Department for Transport. Lucy will be able to advise on the public appointment process and upcoming Non-Executive Director (and equivalent) opportunities within DfT’s public bodies. In her role at DfT, Lucy oversees Public Appointments Senior Talent and Events and is committed to enhancing diversity in public appointments, facilitating boards that reflect the diversity of society and the experiences of all transport users.