West Midlands transport boss Anne Shaw to lead Ireland’s National Transport Authority

Anne Shaw, currently Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Ireland’s National Transport Authority (NTA) and will take up her position in November.

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said, “I want to congratulate Anne on being offered this opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of public transport in Ireland.

“Anne has a proven record in delivering major public transport investments, and that experience will be invaluable to the NTA.

“I look forward to working closely with her and her team in the years ahead as we advance projects such as Connecting Ireland, BusConnects, DART+, and Metrolink — initiatives that will bring lasting benefits to communities across both rural and urban Ireland.”

Shaw has over 30 years’ experience in regional and local roles that have delivered vital transport systems for communities across the UK. She was made Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands in 2022, having joined the organisation as Director for Network Resilience in 2017.

Shaw said, “It’s been the privilege of my career to serve this region. Together, we’ve delivered billions of pounds of investment in rail, tram, bus, active travel and roads, and put in place bold plans to transform how people move across the West Midlands.

“I’m especially proud of Leading transport operations for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, ensuring more than a million extra journeys ran smoothly; Creating the Regional Transport Coordination Centre, bringing operators and authorities together under one roof; Expanding Metro, reopening railway stations, and progressing plans to bring buses under public control; and championing women’s safety on transport networks nationally.

“None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary TfWM team and the wider transport community, whose dedication inspires me every day. Transport changes lives, creates opportunity and connects us all, and I know the West Midlands will continue to lead the way.

“I’m excited to take on this new challenge in Ireland but will always be proud of what we’ve achieved here together.”

NTA Chair Peter Strachan said, “We are delighted to be appointing Anne to lead NTA through what we hope will be a period of sustained investment in public transport infrastructure and services in Ireland.

“She brings with her a wealth of experience, not only in terms of delivery of transport projects, but also in terms of engaging with customers, the public and other stakeholders.

“I believe she will offer a fresh perspective and a new focus and that the NTA will continue to be energised under her leadership.”

Anne Shaw said, “I’m incredibly impressed by the team at the NTA and am excited to begin work to continue the journey of improving transport for the people of Ireland. I’m proud to bring that track record of success to my new position and continue to work with motivated people at the NTA.”

Shaw will also stand down as Vice-Chair of the Urban Transport Group. Responding to the news, its Chair and Managing Director at TfGM Steve Warrener said, “Anne has made an outstanding contribution to local transport. She leaves a lasting legacy not only across the West Midlands, but also across the whole transport sector, including her groundbreaking work on how to tackle violence against women and girls on transport. It has been a pleasure to work with Anne in her capacity as Vice-Chair of UTG and I wish her every success in her new role.”