When: 17 July 2024, 17:30 (to start) 18:00 - 20:30
Where: Deloitte LLP 2 New Street Square London EC4A 3BZ
Speaker: Noel Travers, Chairman of the Railway Industry Association / Managing Director of Xrail Group



"The future of rail to the background of high uncertainty" 

Building partnerships - the vital role played by the rail supply chain.


Xrail Group is a provider of design, assurance, installation, commissioning and maintenance services for rail signalling, telecoms, and minor lineside equipment, with operations in the UK, Saudi Arabia and Spain. Noel joined this SME in May 2021 as Managing Director with a remit to develop a UK offering to match its international businesses and elevating its engagement in the sector, whilst improving its governance and professionalising its operations.

Noel took on an additional role at the start of June as Chairman of the Railway Industry Association,  the voice of the rail supply community, representing over 360 members from across the supply chain.

After leaving Unipart Group in 2020, Noel set up his own consultancy business, providing Interim Executive support to the rail sector. Noel continues to provide support to a small number of SMEs to help them to develop their business in the rail sector in the UK and overseas.

In July 2016, Noel joined Unipart Group as MD of its rail division and took on the additional responsibility for Unipart Manufacturing Group in January 2019. In this role, Noel was responsible for all of Unipart’s manufacturing businesses in the rail and automotive sectors and the supply chain business in the rail sector, operating in the UK, the US, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Noel joined Bombardier Transportation in 2008 as Sales Director for the Passengers Division in the UK, then added South Africa into his responsibility in 2011. In 2013 Noel moved into the Project Management function as VP Project Management, taking full P&L responsibility for all Electrostar new build projects. At the start of 2014, Noel added P&L responsibility for all Electrostar maintenance contracts into his Portfolio. In June 2014 Noel was asked to take over the role as Head of Project Management and Managing Director UK, responsible for the UK manufacturing and services business, excluding Crossrail and LU projects.

Prior to Bombardier Transportation, Noel worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland, where he was Senior Director, Transport and Infrastructure, in its Structured Asset Finance business. In this role, Noel was responsible for all “non-RoSCo” rail asset financing internationally. Before RBS, Noel was a Vice President at GATX Capital Corporation, where he was responsible for business development in the European market, and for managing GATX Capital’s existing portfolio of European rail investments. Earlier in his career, Noel held various engineering and management posts in the pre and post privatisation British Rail.

Noel is a Chartered Engineer, and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from Loughborough University and a MSc in Rail Systems Engineering from the University of Sheffield. Noel is currently immediately past Chair of the Railway Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 

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• FM1.1 Freight Transport Operations and Services
• TP1.1 Transport Infrastructure and Network Resilience