John Halsall

John started his career as a Graduate Civil Engineer at the Environmental Consultancy firm, Montgomery Watson. Once chartered John joined Thames Water where he worked for 15 years in a variety of roles including capital delivery, engineering, asset management and operations. John’s last job at Thames was as Director of Water Services responsible for all clean water-related capital works and operations in London and the Thames Valley.

In 2008 John took a year off and spent the time sailing, with his young family, across the Atlantic to the West Indies. Over the year away he fulfilled a longstanding ambition to sail singlehanded across the Atlantic which he did on the return leg.

Once back in the UK John changed sector and joined Network Rail as an Asset Management Director responsible for the country’s civil engineering railway assets notably bridges, cuttings, embankments and buildings.

Over a period of 13 years in rail John’s career moved across all parts of the business but once again ended in the operations and customer facing side of the business. Prior to joining Pennon in February 2023, John’s last job in rail was as a member of the Network Rail Executive and Regional Managing Director of the Southern Region. In this role he was responsible for the operation, maintenance and renewal of the rail infrastructure in the South East including the large stations of Waterloo, Victoria, London Bridge and Clapham Junction.