24 May 2023
The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has today announced that Lewis Melia has been appointed as the new Vice Chair of RIA Midlands and Eastern.
Lewis’s appointment is the latest development in the roll-out of RIA’s Nations & Regions Network, which is designed to support RIA members in the areas where they work and live. RIA Midlands & Eastern covers the East, West Midlands and East Anglia, working with sub-national transport bodies and clients like Network Rail, HS2, East West Rail and Midlands Connect. RIA Midlands & Eastern also works with train operators, freight operators and the rolling stock supply chain supporting the region and beyond.
Lewis has a strong background in IT and Business Development, making up 36 years’ worth of experience. His expertise ranges from major global blue chip companies to start-ups in the UK, Europe and North America.
Lewis joined the rail sector in 2012 and has worked within the rolling stock supply chain for most of this time. Lewis now holds the position of Key Accounts Lead for Gemini Rail Services, as part of the Mutares family of companies, and heads up a taskforce for new product and market segment development for the group.
Lewis Melia, RIA Midlands and Eastern Vice Chair, said: “I am pleased to be working with the Railway Industry Association in the role of Midlands and Eastern Vice Chair. This is a vitally important region for rail with a bright future, and I look forward to using my experience and passion for the rail supply chain to support RIA members in the region.”
Milda Manomaityte, RIA’s Innovation Director and Midlands and Eastern Lead, said: “We’re thrilled to have Lewis join RIA as part of our Nations & Regions team. Lewis’s vast expertise in business development and rolling stock will be an asset to the work carried out by RIA Midlands & Eastern, and we look forward to working together with Lewis as the network is established and developed.”
Notes
About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. RIA has 350 companies in membership in a sector that contributes £43 billion in economic growth and £14 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 710,000 people. It is also a vital industry for the UK’s economic recovery, supporting green investment and jobs in towns and communities across the UK; for every £1 spent in rail, £2.50 is generated in the wider economy. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). www.riagb.org.uk