BRITAIN’s Department for Transport (DfT) has announced the appointment of Alex Hynes as the new CEO of DfT Operator (DfTO), the public body taking over passenger operations from the private sector as operating contracts come to an end.
Hynes is currently director general of rail services at DfT, and is due to succeed DfTO CEO Robin Gisby on December 23 when Gisby’s fixed-term contract comes to an end. Before joining DfT, Hynes was managing director of Scotland’s Railway, leading the alliance between passenger operator ScotRail and infrastructure manager Network Rail Scotland.
DfT says that Hynes’ significant experience in both the rail industry and DfT will support the government’s policy to bring passenger operations and infrastructure management back together as the publicly-owned Great British Railways (GBR), due to be created in 2027 through the merger of DfTO and Network Rail.
Following the transfer of Greater Anglia on October 12, DfTO has taken ownership of 50% of the passenger operators in Britain. To ensure that it has the necessary resources as the transfer to public ownership continues, over 200 civil servants from DfT rail teams will transfer to DfTO by April 1 2026.
“It’s a privilege to be joining DfTO at such a pivotal moment,” Hynes says. “Building on DfTO’s strong foundations and Robin’s achievements, my focus will be on delivering safe, reliable and efficient services for passengers, and helping to drive rail reform.”
