A new chief executive is set to take over the reins at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) from the end of November.

Angie Doll will become Chief Executive Officer, replacing Patrick Verwer who is stepping down from the day-to-day management of the largest rail network in Britain. One in five of all UK train journeys are made on GTR, which is jointly owned by The Go Ahead Group and Keolis.  GTR operates Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services.

Doll joined the railway in 1999 as station manager at Brighton and has held a number of senior passenger delivery and strategic positions at Go-Ahead rail operating companies. She is presently Chief Operating Officer of GTR, a position she has held since October 2021.  She has been responsible for leading the first domestic high-speed train services – the Javelin – operated by Southeastern, the introduction of the new Gatwick Express fleet and leading Southern to claim the accolade of the National Passenger Operator of the Year in 2021. She is a supporter of diversity in the workplace, champions youth employability and has won the Everywoman Transport and Logistics Champion award.

Meanwhile, Patrick Verwer will take up the strategic role as Rail CEO at The Go-Ahead Group, overseeing development projects in the UK as well as Germany and Norway.  The company also plans an expansion into light rail, part of its ‘Next Billion Journeys’ strategy.

Christian Schreyer, Group Chief Executive Officer, The Go-Ahead Group, said: “Angie is a superb leader with a true instinct for the railways, and a keen eye for the needs of passengers. She has excelled in every role she’s held at Go-Ahead and she is the ideal person to steer GTR to its next phase of growth.

“I’d like to thank Patrick for his outstanding achievements in leading Britain’s busiest and most complex rail network over the last five years. He has delivered many innovations and he’s built a strong, stable and consistent service over a period in which the industry has faced significant challenges. I’m delighted he will be taking on a broader role at Go-Ahead, bringing fresh thinking, as well as years of experience to help us grow our rail business. I very much look forward to continuing working alongside him.”

Angie Doll added: “This railway is very close to my heart and I feel proud and honoured to be taking on this new challenge. I very much look forward to leading the wonderful teams at Govia Thameslink Railway, so we build on the great progress we’ve already made. Partnering with our stakeholders and industry colleagues to deliver for our customers is going to be my absolute focus, so we meet customers’ needs, connect people and help communities thrive.”

Patrick Verwer said: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with the GTR team. They have shown dedication, true customer focus and incredible resilience. Together we have delivered significant innovation and development across London and the South East, including improvements to customer information and service punctuality, more focus on security and safety, as well as improvements to accessibility and diversity. I am absolutely delighted to be handing over the reins to Angie Doll later this year, and very much look forward to starting my new role at The Go-Ahead Group.”