Morson Group Rail Director appointed new trustee to Women in Rail

Women in Rail (WR) has appointed five new trustees to its governing Board, including Morson Group rail director, Gary Smithson.

Gary Smithson, Sarah Reid, Ruth Busby, Mat Baine and Philippa Hinton all hold key positions in the sector. They are ardent supporters of WR which was founded in 2012 to improve diversity in the UK rail industry by providing networking opportunities and support, encouraging diversity as a business strategy and developing initiatives to promote rail as an attractive career choice.

Welcoming the new trustees, WR Chair Christine Fernandes says:

“I am delighted to announce these new trustee appointments in the charity’s 10th anniversary year.

“Sarah, Gary, Ruth, Matt and Philippa are exceptional people in senior roles and bring with them considerable influence and experience which will greatly benefit WR.

“Having them as trustees will definitely strengthen our team as the charity continues its efforts to achieve a more gender-balanced and diverse UK rail industry.”

Gary Smithson is Rail Director at Morson Talent. Morson have been a long-standing advocate for WR. They have supported WR flagship events and during the pandemic, supported lockdown events to support children and parents home schooling. Gary, who has more than 20 years’ experience in recruitment, is also a judge for this year’s WR Awards.

Following his appointment, Gary said:

“I’m thrilled to have been appointed trustee to the Women in Rail governing board. I wholeheartedly believe that the rail sector can be a catalyst for change, and that the success of the wealth of technical projects currently live across the UK depends on reaching diverse talent to deliver them.

Rail and infrastructure is key to the UK’s economic success and to ensure the best people are working on critical projects, ED&I must be at the heart of decision-making processes at every level of the supply chain. Working in partnership with the other trustees, we will continue the existing efforts into making this a reality.

As Women in Rail celebrates its 10th anniversary year, I’m confident that the work taking place will ensure the future of the rail industry is bright and through the transformation of the sector we’ll continue to pave the way for individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to see their future in rail.”

Now in its 10th year with more than 7,500 members worldwide, WR brings together men and women from the UK railway sector,

The charity holds regular networking events and development workshops across the UK through its regional groups and runs a successful cross-industry mentoring programme open to both female and male.

To read the full article and to learn more about the other trustees, click here.