Will Whitehorn appointed as chair of the Transport Systems Catapult Board
Transport industry pioneer Will Whitehorn will spearhead innovation as chairman of the new Transport Systems Catapult it was announced today (22 February 2013). The Catapult, a technology and innovation centre being set up by the Technology Strategy Board, will focus on innovation for efficient and sustainable ways to move people and goods across national transport systems including road, rail, sea and air. These products and services will help to ease congestion globally and prepare for the growing requirements for transport systems of the future.
Mr. Whitehorn will bring with him over 30 years of experience in the travel and transport industry. His post-graduate employment saw him fly with British Airways Helicopters and work as a graduate trainee with Thomas Cook. He then joined Virgin Group in 1987, where he was pivotal in the early growth of Virgin Atlantic and went onto become brand development and corporate affairs director of the group. It was in this role that he led Virgin’s bid for its rail franchises in 1996 and then went on to become a Director of Virgin Rail Group. More recently he established and became the first president of Virgin Galactic, which plans to provide sub-orbital spaceflights to space tourists, satellite deployment and space science services.On retiring from Virgin Group in 2011 he has gone on to several industry roles including a non executive directorship of Stagecoach Group PLC, the global transportation group, which carries over one billion customers a year on its networks in Europe and North America.
The Transport Systems Catapult is part of a network of world-leading technology and innovation centres established and overseen by the Technology Strategy Board as a long-term investment that will open up global opportunities for the UK and generate economic growth for the future. With investment from public and private sectors of around £1 billion over the coming few years, Catapults represent one of the most important developments in UK innovation and technology, and will make a major impact for years to come.
