John Thomas is a subject-matter expert with over 30 years’ experience in the development, implementation and advocacy of rail policy, reform, legislation and economic regulation. He specialises in transport policy and utility regulation for government departments, transport groups, regulators, regulated entities, and trade bodies in the UK and internationally.

John’s proven leadership, team development and management skills are illustrated by Director roles at ALLRAIL (Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants); Rail Partners, representing Great Britain’s private sector rail passenger and freight operating companies; the Rail Delivery Group, the membership body for the British railway industry, and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the safety and economic regulator of the railway industry in Great Britain.

As Director of Railway Markets and Economics and Executive Board member of the ORR, John was responsible for the development and implementation of economic, financial and competition policy, as well as track access policy underpinning ORR’s regulation of the railway industry.

From 2011 to 2017, John relocated to the Middle East where he spent 18 months as Chief Advisor, Economic Regulation to the Saudi Arabian rail regulator. He later joined Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s railway network, as Regulatory Affairs Advisor where he influenced the development of the Railway Law and the new Federal rail regulatory framework.

John holds a BA (Hons) in Economics from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and a Master’s degree in Transport Economics from the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds.