Steer Davies Gleave appoints Helen Waters and Richard Aitken

Steer Davies Gleave has expanded its railways business practice with the appointments of Helen Waters as Associate Director and Richard Aitken as Associate. The additions are part of wider expansion, with Waters tasked with leading the expansion in the segment.

Prior to joining Steer Davies Gleave, Helen Waters worked with Arriva UK Trains as a Business Development Manager over a period of three years from 2014. During this time, she was also Interim General Manager for Zeta Automotive for six months concurrently. Earlier in her career, Waters worked as a Production Director at Cross Country Trains between 2010 and 2014, and as an Independent Consultant for Interim Rail Services from 2007 until 2010. Waters also held a variety of roles with Virgin Trains.

Now, Steer Davies Gleave have brought Waters into their firm as an Associate Director. Her extensive experience in the rail industry will be leveraged to lead the further expansion of the firm’s capabilities in the segment, focusing on new and existing clients. She will work out of the firm’s London office.

Richard Aitken, who also joins Steer Davies Gleave, previously worked at Keolis as a Timetable & Resource Manager for four years. He was previously at Serco Docklands in the role of Operations Planning Manager for almost five and half years. Earlier in his career he worked in Train Planning and Station Information for Southern Railway over a two-year period.

Aitken joins the firm as an Associate in the firm’s Rail Operations segment. He will leverage his more than ten years’ experience in the industry to support clients in, among others, train planning, rolling stock, service delivery and performance improvement. He will work out of the firm’s London office.

Commenting on the appointments, Jim Richards, Director of Rail at Steer Davies Gleave said, “We are delighted to welcome Helen and Richard to Steer Davies Gleave, adding significant experience to our great team.”

The appointments come at a time of continued uncertainty in the UK’s rail network, with high prices, infrastructure investment requirements and failing franchise adding to industry headaches. Steer Davies Gleave are subsequently experiencing heightened demand for their transport advisory services, as rail networks look to improve their public perception in particular, and deliver improved levels of value. Recently, this saw the firm work with fellow consulting firm Ramboll to deliver a public transport overhaul for the south coast city of Southampton.