Paul Hawthorne

Paul Hawthorne is an experienced project director in the rail sector, currently serving as Project Director - Rail at Laing O'Rourke since June 2022. Prior roles include Rail Systems Director at UGL for a brief period in 2022, and General Manager - Rail Engineering at Rio Tinto from July 2019 to March 2022, where leadership encompassed the Rail Engineering, Systems and Technical Assurance, and Asset Management teams. Paul has also held significant positions such as Head of Infrastructure Maintenance at High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd and Joint Venture Director at SB Rail. With a strong background at Network Rail spanning over a decade, including roles as Head of Track and various engineering and maintenance positions, Paul has developed robust expertise in rail engineering and infrastructure. Educational qualifications include a Bachelor of Applied Science in Systems Engineering from The Open University and certificates in Business Leadership and Leadership and Management from Warwick University, along with a Higher National Certificate in Railway Engineering from London South Bank University.