Richard Bowker

Company: Union Railway

Position: Chief executive

Biography: Richard Bowker took up his position as chief executive officer of the UAE’s Union Railway in September 2009.

Bowker comes to the UAE after a substantial career in the UK railway industry. Between 2008-09, he was vice-chairman of British Waterways, which is responsible for maintaining inland waterways in the UK. Prior to this, he was group chief executive of National Express Group, a British transport group with headquarters in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services.

Other positions held by Bowker include chief executive of the government’s Partnerships for Schools initiative; chairman and chief executive of UK regulatory body, the Strategic Rail Authority, which was wound up in 2006.

He has also held the position of group commercial director for the UK’s Virgin Group. Bowker graduated from Leicester University in the UK with an economics degree.

Contact: (+971) 2 499 9999; http://www.union.ae/