• Dipesh Shah OBE

    Chairman

    Biography

    • Appointed in September 2020
    • Investment Committee Chairman for the 2020 European Fund for Energy, Climate Change and Infrastructure, and for Marguerite II Fund. Non-Executive Board Director at Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.
    • Formerly CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and of large businesses in BP
    • Former Chairman of, among others, a FTSE-listed power utility, the European industry association for solar, a housing association and a private equity fund for renewables
    • Served on the boards of Babcock International Group Plc, Lloyd’s of London, The Crown Estate and Thames Water. A former member of the government’s Renewable Energy Advisory Committee
    • Graduate of University of London, University of Warwick, and the Harvard Business School management programme

  • Nick Harris

    Chief Executive

    Biography

    • Appointed Chief Executive in August 2021
    • Responsible for the operational leadership of Highways England, including day-to-day operation of our network, customer service and maintenance services, and our company's five-year capital maintenance and renewals programme
    • Career includes senior operational roles in water utilities across the UK and overseas
    • Qualifications include CEng (Chartered Engineer), MICE (Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers)

  • Vanessa Howlison

    Chief Financial Officer

    Biography

    • Appointed in June 2016
    • Career includes Finance Director roles in government departments, including Department for Transport, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Ofsted, and finance roles in the NHS and the Audit Commission
    • Currently a member of The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Institute Council
    • Qualifications include: studying for an MSc in Carbon Management, University of Edinburgh

  • Roger Lowe

    Senior Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Re-appointed Senior Non-Executive Director in February 2019, having previously been the Department for Transport appointed Non-Executive Shareholder Representative from July 2016
    • Appointed Interim Chairman from 22 June 2020 to 1 September 2020
    • Partner with Capstar Advisers, and Director at UK Government Investments from May 2010 to February 2019
    • Career in corporate finance, specialising in acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures and restructurings, with roles including Group Director of Corporate Finance at TI Group plc, and Investment Banking at Lazard, including two-years secondment to Lazard Frères New York

  • Carolyn Battersby

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Department for Transport appointed Shareholder Representative from February 2019
    • Currently Executive Director at UK Government Investments, which she joined in 2011
    • Career in corporate finance and strategy, with roles at Tesco, The Prince’s Trust, Schroders and Permira
    • Qualifications include an MChem (Master of Chemistry) degree

  • Janette Beinart

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director in January 2019
    • Background in information technology, with a long international career working for Shell, culminating as Global Upstream Chief Information Officer
    • Previous role in the savings and investment business as interim Group Chief Information Officer for M&G Prudential
    • Qualifications include an Economics degree

  • Kathryn Cearns OBE

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director in April 2018
    • Member of Department for Transport’s (DfT) Group Audit and Risk Committee and DfT Special Representative on the Elizabeth Line Committee (Crossrail)
    • Chair of the Office of Tax Simplification, HM Treasury
    • Non-Executive Board member at Companies House, the UK Supreme Court, the Press Recognition Panel and the UK Endorsement Board
    • Lay member and Vice Chair of the BMA Audit and Risk Committee, Vice Chair of The Property Ombudsman and Chair of the Employee Board, Emperor Design Services Ltd
    • Qualifications include FCA (Fellow Chartered Accountant) and FCCA (Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

  • Alan Cumming

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director in September 2017
    • Director of Nuclear Operations at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and appointed the NDA-nominated Non-Executive Director at Sellafield Ltd in April 2018
    • International career within engineering and energy 
    • Qualifications include CEng (Chartered Engineer), MICE (Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers), MIStructE (Chartered Structural Engineer) and an MBA

  • Lawrence Gosden

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 April 2021
    • Director of Wastewater and Asset Management at Southern Water
    • Career centred on asset management, capital delivery and operations primarily in the utilities sector
    • Qualifications include a BEng Honours degree (1st class) in Civil Engineering