• Dipesh Shah OBE

    Chairman

    Biography

    • Appointed in September 2020
    • Chairman of the Investment Committees for three sizeable pan-European Infrastructure Funds investing in energy transition, digital transformation, water/waste and transport: The 2020 European Fund for Energy, Climate Change, and Infrastructure, Marguerite II and Marguerite III funds. Until very recently, he was on the Board of a Canadian Investment Bank and Wealth manager for over a decade.
    • Formerly CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and of large businesses in BP.
    • Former Chairman of, among others, a FTSE-listed electric 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, Thames Water, British Youth Opera, and Merchant Taylors’ School. A former member of the government’s Renewable Energy Advisory Committee.
    • Born in India and raised in Uganda, Dipesh is a graduate of the 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 National Highways, 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

  • 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

  • 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 Chairs their Health, Safety & Security and Investment Committees. Non-Executive Director of the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence
    • Former Chief Executive Officer of the East West Railway Company (EWR)
    • 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 Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers

  • 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)

  • Lawrence Gosden

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 April 2021
    • Chief Executive Officer 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

  • Sukhi Johal

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director in June 2023
    • Joined UKGI in March 2021 from RSM UK, the provider of audit, tax and consulting services, as a Corporate Finance Partner
    • Over 20 years’ experience in Corporate Finance, split between Advisory and Corporate & Investment Banking and spent time working on complex transactions in the UK and internationally
    • Currently leads on inward mergers and acquisitions at UKGI

  • Diego Oliva

    Non-Executive Director

    Biography

    • Appointed Non-Executive Director in July 2022
    • CEO of Starknet Foundation, a non-profit organisation driving the development and adoption of Starknet, a decentralised and scalable blockchain platform, empowering developers and businesses to create efficient and secure applications
    • A Limited Partner at Earlybird, White Star Capital and Wamda Capital venture capital funds
    • Background in the technology sector, previous roles include Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Glue, Non-Executive Director at Just Eat, Regional Director of EMEA at Facebook, and founding director of Tradedoubler
    • Qualifications include a Batchelor of Economics (Tec de Monterrey, Mexico), a MSc in Economics (Stockholm University) and a post-graduate program in General Management (Harvard Business School)