Name Richard Bowker | Role British businessman | |
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Education University of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn | ||
Richard Bowker CBE (born 1966) is a former chief executive of National Express Group 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. 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.
Bowker was appointed co-chairman of Virgin Trains 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. In the 2004 New Year's Honours List, he was awarded a CBE. In 2006, he was appointed chief executive of National Express Group.
Bowker is a chartered management accountant and a non-executive director of British Waterways. He is also chief executive of Etihad Railway in the United Arab Emirates.