-
Gareth Rhys Williams
Chair
Biography
- Appointed Chair in April 2024
- The UK Government Chief Commercial Officer since March 2016. Trustee of Fauna & Flora International (FFI), the world’s oldest international conservation organisation, having previously served on the Council of FFI and Non-Executive Director of Purple Sector Ltd
- Before joining the Civil Service, he was Chief Executive Officer of PHS Group, Charter International, Capital Safety Group Ltd, and Vitec Group plc
- Prior to that he was Non-Executive Director of Crown Commercial services
- Qualifications include an MBA, a Trustee and Companion of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the UK’s Institute of Mechanical Engineers and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers
-
Nick Harris
Chief Executive
Biography
- Appointed permanent Chief Executive in August 2021
- Responsible for the day-to-day operational management of National Highways and the performance of our Executive team, and accountable to the Board for our company’s performance
- Responsible, as Accounting Officer, for safeguarding the public funds held by our company and for ensuring propriety, regularity, value for money and efficiency in the handling and use of public funds
- Career includes senior operational roles in water utilities across the UK and overseas
- Qualifications include: CEng (Chartered Engineer); and MICE (Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers)
-
Scott Dale
Chief Financial Officer
Biography
- Appointed March 2024
- Career includes roles at Deloitte and Accenture in audit, corporate finance and consultancy, and Finance Director roles in both the logistics and energy sector
- Career also includes Non-Executive Director roles for energy and charitable organisations
- Qualifications include: a degree in Economics from Liverpool University, Chartered Accountant, and Fellow of the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)
-
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
- Non-Executive Director of the Cabinet Office until July 2024
- Non-Executive Director at National Grid Electricity Distribution from 1 April 2025
- Led the public review of the DVLA
- Qualifications include: a BA degree in Economics
-
Simon Blanchflower CBE
Non-Executive Director
Biography
- Appointed Non-Executive Director in March 2023
- Deputy Chair of the London Legacy Development Corporation, which is responsible for securing the legacy from the London 2012 Olympics, and Chair of its Investment Committee
- Non-Executive Director of the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence. Currently on a short-term commission through KPMG (July-October 2025) to support its work as the government Project Representative for HS2 (in relation to Euston station).
- Formerly Chief Executive Officer of the East West Railway Company
- Background in the rail sector, with a long career leading the development and delivery of major rail infrastructure projects, including being the Major Programme Director on the Thameslink programme
- Qualifications include: a BSc Honours degree (1st class) in Civil Engineering; and FICE (Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers)
-
Sukhi Johal
Non-Executive Director
Biography
- Appointed as Shareholder Representative Non-Executive Director in June 2023
- Prior to joining UKGI in March 2021, Sukhi was a Corporate Finance Partner at RSM UK advising company shareholders, management teams and boards to achieve their strategic objectives through acquisitions, private equity investment, debt fund raising and exit
- Over 25 years’ experience post qualification in corporate finance split between advisory and banking. Sukhi has advised clients and central government departments across a range of complex UK and international transactions
- Currently leads UKGI’s work on Inward Mergers and Acquisitions
- Qualified as an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) member of the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)
-
Manny Lewis
Non-Executive Director
Biography
- Appointed Non-Executive Director in March 2025
- Background in change management, organisational development, service redesign, urban regeneration, executive coaching and partnership working, having held a number of senior leadership roles across the public sector and local government, including as Managing Director for Watford Borough Council and Chief Executive of the London Development Agency
- Currently Non-Executive Director and Chair of the People Committee at the Civil Aviation Authority
- Non-Executive Director of Green Square Accord Housing Association
- Qualifications include Management Advisory Manpower studies, an LLB Honours Degree, Honorary Doctor of Business Administration and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
-
Kim Shillinglaw
Non-Executive Director
Biography
- Appointed Non-Executive Director in February 2025
- Background in the media and creative industry, with over 30 years’ experience across the media industry and having been a former Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four
- Kim is an existing Non-Executive Director and board member of organisations including Natural England, Content Board, Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS Group), the Natural Environment Research Council and Raspberry Pi Foundation
- Independent Member of the Public Weather Service Customer Group
- Co-Chair of National Nature Reserves Ad Board
- Qualifications include: A degree in History (University of Oxford)
-
Rob Whiteman CBE
Non-Executive Director
Biography
- Appointed Non-Executive Director in January 2025
- Background in the public sector, with extensive risk and audit experience. In local government he was Director of Resources at the London Borough of Lewisham, before becoming Chief Executive of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council. Formerly Non-Executive Director for Department of Energy and Climate Change, Managing Director of the local government Improvement & Development Agency (IDeA) and Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency. Between 2013 and June 2024, he was Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
- Chair of University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Chair of the Housing & Finance Institute
- Member of the Finance & Investment Committee and Council Member, Queen Mary University of London
- Qualifications include: CPFA (Chartered Public Finance Accountant)
-
Simon Wills
Non-Executive Director
Biography
- Appointed Non-Executive Director in February 2025
- Background in the energy sector, having held a wide variety of commercial and operational roles within Centrica and before that British Gas, both in the UK and Europe, including Managing Director of Centrica Storage Ltd and latterly, Group Health and Safety Director
- Currently Chair at B&D Energy and a Non-Executive Director for the Oil and Pipelines Agency and the ThamesWey Group
- Qualifications include: a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering, Associate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
-
Elliot Shaw
Chief Customer and Strategy Officer
Biography
- Appointed to our Executive team in September 2016, and appointed to the Board in January 2024
- Responsible for the strategic development of our network, our organisational business improvement agenda, our analytical and economist functions, our relationships with key statutory and regulatory bodies, our customer service and our communications and corporate affairs activities
- Career includes Transformation Director at the Ministry of Justice and a number of Senior Civil Service positions at the Ministry of Justice and DfT, with his early career spent as a management consultant at Accenture
- Qualifications include: a BA in Economics and Politics; a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University; and FCIHT (Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation)
Our Board and Executive
We maintain a clear division of responsibilities between the Chair, Chief Executive, Board, and Executive team. The Board governs our organisation, sets strategy, monitors performance, manages risk, and appoints senior leaders, reporting directly to the Secretary of State. Day-to-day operations are delegated to the Chief Executive, supported by Executive Directors who lead the delivery of our strategic goals.
Meet our Board members
Meet our Executive
-
Nicola Bell MBE
Chief Capital Delivery Officer
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director in December 2022.
- Responsible for leading the delivery of major enhancement schemes as part of government’s Road investment strategy and identified significant or complex projects across the strategic network.
- Has held a wide variety of roles in the Highways and Transport sector, including Director of Highways and Transport in local government and Asset Management Director and Regional Operations Director for the South East of England at National Highways.
- Qualifications in Civil Engineering and an MSc in Transport Planning and Engineering.
- Awarded an MBE for services to transport.
-
Elaine Billington MBE
Chief People Officer
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director in September 2019.
- Responsible for developing and leading our People strategy, including building a diverse, capable and engaged workforce, developing effective leaders and creating a high-performing culture underpinned by our values.
- Career includes senior roles at United Utilities plc, including HR Director, and various roles at VERTEX, Cable and Wireless Communications and Rentokil Initial.
- Qualifications include: FCIPD (Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development).
- Awarded an MBE for services to early careers and apprenticeships.
-
Matt Palmer
Executive Director, Lower Thames Crossing
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director in July 2020.
- Responsible for the A122 Lower Thames Crossing project, one of the most ambitious road projects ever undertaken in the country.
- Career includes over 30 years’ experience in leadership roles across design, project and programme management for a range of major organisations and programmes, both in the UK and internationally.
- Qualifications include: CEng (Chartered Engineer), and MICE (Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers).
-
Richard Pedley
Chief Digital and Information Officer
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director in December 2022.
- Responsible for the provision and operation of our operational and business information technology services, the setting of our Digital and data strategy and the co-ordination of company security, including cyber, physical and personnel security.
- Career includes technical consulting and technology transformational leadership roles across multiple sectors, including with Microsoft, Severn Trent Water, Aviva, Capita, Environment Agency and National Grid.
- Qualifications include: Geographical Information Systems Management (School of Military Survey, Royal Engineers).
-
Duncan Smith
Chief Operating Officer
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director in October 2021.
- Responsible for the operational leadership of our organisation, 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 operational leadership roles within the UK and US water industries, and previous positions as Transformation Director and Regional Operations Director at National Highways.
- Qualifications include: CEng (Chartered Engineer); and MICE (Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers.
-
Mike Wilson
Chief Highways Engineer
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director in April 2014 (joined Highways Agency in September 1991).
- Responsible for technical requirements and providing technical assurance, advice and change management.
- Leads on: health, safety and wellbeing; environment and sustainability and asset management.
- Previous roles at National Highways include Regional Divisional Director for the South West.
- Qualifications include: a BEng (Hons); CEng (Chartered Engineer), FICE (Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers), and FCIHT (Fellow of Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation).
-
Swati Paul
General Counsel
Biography
- Appointed as Executive Director & General Counsel in July 2025.
- Responsible for the in-house Legal, Company Secretariat, Information Rights and Investigations teams. This includes providing advice to our Executive and the Board on the full range of legal issues, including corporate governance, commercial and procurement; infrastructure law; employment law and health and safety inquests.
- Career includes previous positions as General Counsel & Company Secretary at London Luton Airport and Director & Executive Vice President (Legal and Commercial) of Skanska UK Plc.
- Her legal career started in leading law firms including CMS, Clifford Chance and Dentons. She then continued her career in house, holding senior roles at prominent organisations such as Ofgem and Transport for London.
- Qualifications include: she is a qualified solicitor and holds a Law degree from The London School of Economics, London University.
