The confirmation of his appointment follows a meeting with Network Rail’s members.

Professor Parry-Jones started with the company on 28 March 2012 as a non-executive director, taking up his position as chairman if his appointment is ratified by members at the company’s AGM in July when Rick Haythornthwaite steps down.

Professor Parry-Jones was born in 1951. He joined the Ford Motor Company as an apprentice and in 38 years with the company rose to be group vice president in charge of global product development and chief technical Officer. In his career with Ford he gained wide international experience in research and development, manufacturing operations and business leadership. Among the more than 70 vehicles developed under his leadership are familiar names such as the award-winning Ford Mondeo and the Ford Focus models.

Currently he is a non-executive director of GKN plc and Cosworth Group Holdings as well as being council member of the Royal Academy of Engineering and of Bangor University. He is pro chancellor of Loughborough University and a visiting professor in the faculty of engineering. He also co-chairs, with Vince Cable, the UK Automotive Council.
The selection comes following Rick Haythornthwaite (the existing chairman) announcing in September 2011, his intention to step down from the board following the company’s AGM in July 2012