RIA Consultants Group elects new Chair and Vice Chair

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) Consultants Group, representing the rail consultancy and design community, has announced the election of a new Chair, Jessica Ellery of Jacobs, and Vice Chair, Chris Pike of Arcadis, to help set the strategic direction of the Group. This follows a competitive process with several strong applications.  

The RIA Consultants Group leads on best practice on procurement for world class design and delivery, enabling growth and unlocking opportunities for the UK rail sector. The Group supports the sector through a range of activities and networking events, and will now strengthen the way it represents its members to key clients and decision makers.  

Jessica Ellery, Chair of the RIA Consultants Group, said: "I am delighted to be appointed Chair of the RIA Consultants Group, and I look forward to working with RIA members and stakeholders to represent and showcase the Group. 

“I see a brilliant opportunity to harness the collective influence within the Consultants Group to become a driving force – challenging and supporting clients in equal measure to accelerate delivery and deploy our combined capabilities to drive up service levels and contribute to industry improvement and development." 

Chris Pike, Vice Chair of the RIA Consultants Group, said: "I look forward to working with Jessica and RIA Members to develop and strengthen the RIA Consultants Group. We will ensure that as consultants we evolve within the rail industry to meet the challenges the industry faces; deliver sustainable, efficient and innovative solutions; and keep making the case for sustained investment.” 

Robert Cook, RIA Policy Director, said: "We would like to congratulate Jessica and Chris on their appointments, and look forward to working alongside them to represent RIA members, and to showcase the value and contribution of the UK rail sector.  We would encourage all RIA members with an interest to get involved in the RIA Consultants Group and feed into its activities and priorities”.  

The RIA Consultants Group holds networking events with client and stakeholder presentations three times a year. These are free to attend for all RIA members with an interest in rail design and consultancy.

Notes to Editors

1. 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 300+ 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