Mark Wild OBE has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd. He will oversee the completion of the high-speed rail project. Wild's experience includes several key roles in the transport and utilities industries, most recently as CEO of SGN, the gas distribution network serving Scotland and the southeast of England.
Previously, he spent almost four years as CEO of Crossrail, taking the project from crucial construction to successful opening. The scale of Crossrail is matched only by HS2 as the UK's largest newly built railway. Now known as the Elizabeth Line, Crossrail has carried more than 300 million passengers since opening in May 2022.
Wild will be joining HS2 Ltd at a pivotal moment in the delivery of the programme, as the civil engineering works along the route from London to the West Midlands reach their peak and the focus shifts to the construction of the infrastructure for the operation of the railway.
The new appointment, in line with recent changes to the scope announced by the Government, is part of a series of reforms across the project aimed at reducing costs and delivering the scheme safely and on time.
"I look forward to leading HS2 as it progresses from major construction works to its rail systems phase and beyond to the first passenger services. The scale and ambition of HS2 is phenomenal and will deliver wide-reaching benefits for the UK through more jobs, economic growth and better journeys,” said Mark Wild OBE.
