Network Rail appoints Aidan Hancock as IT chief

Network Rail has appointed a new group chief information officer (CIO).

As part of the company’s route services management team, former BP technology chief Aidan Hancock reports to Susan Cooklin, route services managing director and former CIO.

Hancock will be responsible for delivering customer-focused and back-office IT, including infrastructure and support services to the route services function, which encompasses areas such as IT, materials, contract management, and HR and finance shared services.

Prior to joining Network Rail, Hancock spent 12 years at oil and gas giant BP, where he held a range of senior technology roles, including chief network architect and, most recently, CIO and vice-president for BP Middle East.

In his last role at BP, Hancock was responsible for the company’s largest region, including operating the world’s second largest oil field and managing the firm’s relationships with government ministerial stakeholders.

Hancock is the fourth executive to hold the CIO role at Network Rail in the past four years.

Prior to Hancock, the role was held by Neil Clark, an interim who was enlisted in August 2018 following the departure of Jeremy Vincent, who joined in October 2016 from Jaguar Land Rover, where he also served as a CIO.

Prior to that, Carol Wharton covered the role between January and October 2016. Wharton had been a deputy CIO at the company for a number of years and took over when the previous incumbent, Susan Cooklin, moved on to the expanded role of route services managing director in January 2016.