David Rowlands (civil servant)
Encyclopedia
Sir David Rowlands, was a British
civil servant, who rose to the rank of
Permanent Secretary
to the Department for Transport
.
Rowlands was educated at St Mary's College, Crosby and Oxford University before starting his career with the international engineering business IMI plc. He left the private sector
to join the Department of Trade and Industry in 1974. At the DTI he was appointed private secretary
to the Minister of State
for Industry.
He moved to the then Ministry of Transport
in 1983 where he has held a number of posts with responsibilities for finance, aviation
, shipping
, port
s and railways. Before being appointed Permanent Secretary in May 2003, he was the director general for railways, aviation, logistics, maritime and security.
In this role he was central to the creation of Network Rail
after Railtrack
was put into administration and the delivery of public-private partnerships for the London Underground
and the National Air Traffic Services
. Rowlands received a knighthood in the Birthday Honours List 2006. He retired on his 60th birthday in 2007.
Since leaving the civil service his career moves have been subject to a number of controversies, including government blocks on his attempts to join the Boards of British Airports Authority and Bechtel
. His present roles in the private sector now include Chairmanships of Gatwick Airport and Angel Trains
. He is also the Chairman of High Speed 2 Ltd, the quango tasked with advising Ministers on future high speed rail connections between London, Heathrow Airport and Birmingham Airport or City Centre.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
civil servant, who rose to the rank of
Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
to the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
.
Rowlands was educated at St Mary's College, Crosby and Oxford University before starting his career with the international engineering business IMI plc. He left the private sector
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
to join the Department of Trade and Industry in 1974. At the DTI he was appointed private secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to the Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Industry.
He moved to the then Ministry of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
in 1983 where he has held a number of posts with responsibilities for finance, aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
, port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s and railways. Before being appointed Permanent Secretary in May 2003, he was the director general for railways, aviation, logistics, maritime and security.
In this role he was central to the creation of Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
after Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
was put into administration and the delivery of public-private partnerships for the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
and the National Air Traffic Services
National Air Traffic Services
NATS Ltd. is the main air navigation service provider in the United Kingdom. It provides en-route air traffic control services to flights within the UK Flight Information Regions and the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area, and provides air traffic control services to fifteen UK airports and Gibraltar...
. Rowlands received a knighthood in the Birthday Honours List 2006. He retired on his 60th birthday in 2007.
Since leaving the civil service his career moves have been subject to a number of controversies, including government blocks on his attempts to join the Boards of British Airports Authority and Bechtel
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...
. His present roles in the private sector now include Chairmanships of Gatwick Airport and Angel Trains
Angel Trains
Angel Trains is an English Rolling Stock Operating Company created in 1994 as part of the privatisation of British Rail. It was one of three ROSCOs...
. He is also the Chairman of High Speed 2 Ltd, the quango tasked with advising Ministers on future high speed rail connections between London, Heathrow Airport and Birmingham Airport or City Centre.