Richard Bowker (British businessman)
Richard Bowker CBE (born 1966) is the former[1] chairman of UK Athletics and independent director of the English Football League.
Career
He is a former chief executive of National Express and Etihad Railway and former chairman and chief executive of the Strategic Rail Authority. He attended Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn, read economics at Leicester University, and played as a professional session pianist for a year.[2] Bowker is a chartered management accountant and was a non-executive director of British Waterways[3] and of the London Marathon.[4] In the 2004 New Year's Honours List, he was appointed a CBE.[5]
In 1989 he joined the London Underground as a graduate finance trainee; in the course of this work, he was credited with the launch of a new leasing system for trains in 1997.[6] Bowker was appointed co-chairman of Virgin Rail Group in 1999 and commercial director of the Virgin Group in 2000. He also founded the transport consultancy Quasar Associated.
In 2001 he was appointed chairman and chief executive of the Strategic Rail Authority.[2] In 2006, he was appointed chief executive of National Express Group. From 2009 to 2012 he acted as chief executive of Etihad Railway in the United Arab Emirates.[7][8]
In 2012 he was appointed as the second ever independent non-executive director of the English Football League.[9] In 2017 he replaced Ed Warner as chairman of UK Athletics.[4] Less than two years later he resigned ahead of a vote of no confidence.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Calls for 'warts and all' examination into UK Athletics after chairman goes". The Guardian. 16 January 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Don't rail saviours look young nowadays?". The Guardian. London. 28 October 2001.
- ^ 11646_NX
- ^ a b "Bowker takes over from Warner as chairman of UK Athletics two months early". Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ Reece, Damian (31 December 2004). "Knighthoods go to CBI's Digby Jones and OFT's John Vickers". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013.
- ^ "Profile: Richard Bowker". BBC News. 18 January 2004.
- ^ "Union Railway in UAE marks the beginning of an era of long-term investment: Al Nowais UAE - The Official Web Site - News". Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Richard Bowker Quits Etihad Rail: International Railway Journal". 10 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Richard Bowker CBE: English Football League". Retrieved 1 January 2018.