Management Team
Here in the UK we are the largest private operator of light rail services in the UK. We maintain and operate the world famous, Docklands Light Railway in London, Manchester Metrolink, the longest tram network in the UK and the award winning Nottingham Trams.
In UK heavy rail we have a joint venture agreement for the country’s largest and busiest rail franchise – GTR.
In addtion, Keolis UK – as part of an international business – is also honoured to have portfolio responsibilities for the iconic Dubai metro and tram networks.
Alistair Gordon
Chief Executive Officer
Alistair Gordon
Chief Executive Officer
Alistair Gordon has been CEO of Keolis UK since 2010, having initially joined Keolis as Project Director in 2004.
His time as CEO has coincided with a period of sustained success for the company, successfully bidding for and operating some of the UKs busiest and iconic public transport networks including Manchester Metrolink, London Docklands and the Wales and Borders rail franchise.
Alistair’s success in the UK provided the catalyst for the parent company to give him leadership responsibility for the successful bidding of the Dubai Metro and Tram networks contract. He has subsequently added the Dubai networks to his CEO responsibilities as well as the metro operations of Doha (Qatar) and Hyderabad (India). Alistair’s responsibilities across the wider Keolis international business also includes, being an active Board member of Keolis’ rail operations in Boston.
He is also a member of the Executive Leadership team of the parent company, providing strategic advice and support to the Group’s Executive Chairwoman/Executive CEO.
Alistair graduated in Mathematics from University College, London, after which he joined Jacobs as a transport consultant. In 1995 he moved to Steer Davies Gleave as a consultant, where he we worked during the early stages of rail privatisation before moving to Eurostar in 1997, performing a number of key roles, most notably as its Strategy Director.
Sir Derek Jones
Chair
Sir Derek Jones
Chair
Sir Derek brings a wealth of experience to Keolis UK.
He served as the head of the Welsh Civil Service between 2012 and 2017 and has held numerous positions across Whitehall and the Welsh Government – including time at HM Treasury and the then Department of Trade & Industry – throughout a long and distinguished career in government.
Sir Derek is the Chair of Keolis UK and Chairs the boards for each of the company’s UK majority shareholding businesses, these are KeolisAmey Docklands (London), KeolisAmey Metrolink (Manchester) and Nottingham Trams.
Sir Derek is an independent adviser to Cardiff University, where he is also an Honorary Professor and Fellow.
He was formerly Chair of the Prince’s Trust in Wales; and a Director of semiconductor manufacturer IQE plc.
Sir Derek was appointed Chair of Keolis UK in 2019.
Martin Baynham-Knight
Strategy Director
Martin Baynham-Knight
Strategy Director
Martin Baynham-Knight has worked for Keolis since 2013 and has 20 years’ experience in the transport sector.
Martin drives the long-term planning and strategic development of Keolis in the UK; oversees the financial and strategic elements of bids, tenders, and acquisitions; and leads on certain risk mitigation activities.
Prior to joining Keolis UK, Martin worked as both a transport business consultant and headed a business and financial modelling team.
Martin has led or overseen the financial workstream on more than a dozen rail, metro, and tram bids for Keolis UK.
Emmanuelle Waline
Chief Financial Officer
Emmanuelle Waline
Chief Financial Officer
Emmanuelle became Chief Financial Officer of Keolis UK, Middle East and India in October 2024.
She began her career in 1997 in auditing and consulting with Arthur Andersen, then held financial roles in a start-up providing yield management services to the broadcast media, before moving on to the position of European Financial Controller for Compass Group.
In 2007, Emmanuelle joined Keolis as deputy CFO for the international division, and successively held the positions of deputy director for strategy and development, and director of governance for development projects. She moved to the UK with her family in 2015 and has continued to work in the transport industry on financial and development projects first in the GTR rail franchise and then to the Go Ahead Group.
Emmanuelle has dual French and British citizenship. She holds two masters degrees in business and international management, one from a leading French business school and the other from Panthéon-Sorbonne University.
Richard Graham
Managing Director of KeolisAmey Docklands
Richard Graham
Managing Director of KeolisAmey Docklands
Richard is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Docklands Light Railway in London.
Richard was previously the performance and development director of Keolis UK, a role which he had held since 2019, and was a member of the company’s executive team and Board. He was also on the board of directors for Keolis Amey Operations in Wales and Keolis Amey Docklands since the start of 2020.
Prior to this Richard worked in the United States for Keolis’ heavy rail operation in Boston – Keolis Commuter Services – where he was vice president for strategy and performance from 2017 to 2019.
Richard is a graduate of Oxford University with a master’s degree in engineering.
Chris Wright
Managing Director of Nottingham Trams
Chris Wright
Managing Director of Nottingham Trams
Chris became managing director of our Nottingham Trams operation in August 2022.
Prior to this Chris was commercial director for East Midlands Railway. With almost 20 years in the sector he has amassed experience across a wide range of disciplines, which include technical, commercial and leadership.
Chris is a Chartered Engineer and has an MBA from Loughborough University.
Damien Chabas
Managing Director of KeolisAmey Metrolink
Damien Chabas
Managing Director of KeolisAmey Metrolink
Damien was appointed as Managing Director for KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM) in August 2023. He was promoted from his previous position In KAM as Director of Customer Experience.
Prior to joining KAM in 2018 Damien worked at Yarra Trams (KeolisDowner) in Melbourne, Australia, across senior positions in business strategy and customer services.
Damien holds masters degrees in international business and business management.