Rail Freight Group expands board with four new appointments

Credit: Rail Freight Group

The Rail Freight Group (RFG) has announced that it has appointed four new members to its Board, further strengthening its expertise in the rail freight sector. The new members had been voted in at the Group’s Annual General Meeting on 13 November 2024 at the Port of Middlesbrough.

The new Board members are:

• John Bailey, Managing Director – Intermodal, Maritime Transport
• Lydia Cullimore, Partner, Burges Salmon
• Steve Freeman, Chair, RailX
• Mark Hooper, Director of Rail & Containers, Solent Stevedores.

These appointments bring a wealth of experience from key sectors within the RFG membership.

John Bailey has been with Maritime Transport since 2001, becoming Managing Director of Intermodal in 2020. With over 30 years of experience in logistics, Bailey has been instrumental in expanding Maritime’s intermodal operations, focusing on sustainability and modal shift. He expressed his excitement to support RFG’s efforts in driving sustainable growth in rail freight.

Lydia Cullimore, a partner at Burges Salmon, has 15 years of experience advising on commercial and regulatory law in the transport sector. She specialises in infrastructure projects, funding arrangements and rail regulatory compliance. Cullimore is committed to supporting rail freight’s role in decarbonisation through modal shift.

Steve Freeman brings 50 years of experience in the global railway industry. As Chair and Co-Owner of RailX, he has developed a digital platform for UK container services. Freeman looks forward to helping RFG maximise the potential of rail freight and support its growth.

Mark Hooper joined Solent Stevedores in 2024 as Director of Rail and Containers, after holding senior roles at Mitsui OSK Lines and DP World. Hooper is focused on expanding Solent Stevedores’ rail offerings and supporting the industry’s move toward sustainability and net zero targets.

Maggie Simpson, RFG Director General, said: “I’d like to welcome each of our new Board members. It is fantastic to have such a diverse group of rail experts from right across the sector supporting our business. Working together, under our re-elected Chair Chris Swan and Vice Chair Geoff Lippitt, we will continue to make the case for rail freight growth and work to ensure we deliver for all of our members through our policy work, events and advocacy.”