David Brown

David joined Arriva in September 2017 as Managing Director of Arriva Rail North and then as Arriva’s Group Communications Director before being appointed Managing Director UK Trains in October 2020. In his role, he is responsible for the leadership and development of Arriva’s UK rail businesses which include Arriva Train care, Chiltern, CrossCountry, Arriva Rail London, and Grand Central. He is also a member of the Arriva Management Board.

Prior to joining Arriva, David was Chief Executive of Transport for the North (TfN) with responsibility for leading the development of the Northern Transport Strategy to deliver significant economic growth as part of the Northern Powerhouse. In this role, he worked alongside the Department for Transport and in collaboration with HS2, Highways England, and Network Rail.

A long-standing industry professional, he has held prominent leadership roles across all modes of transport in both the public and the private sectors. In addition to his role as CEO of Transport for the North, he was Chief Executive at Merseytravel, Director General of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, following eight years as Passenger Service Director and Head of Transport Integration. He is highly skilled in Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Transport Operations, and Sustainability.

David gained a BA Hons in Geography from Staffordshire University.