On the move: the latest East Midlands hires

Alstom has announced Rob Whyte as its new managing director UK and Ireland.

He started with Alstom over 30 years ago as an apprentice in the company’s transmission and distribution (T&D) division, holding this role in parallel with studying for an engineering degree at the University of Bath.

Leaving Alstom in 2003, he worked for Angel Trains – where he was responsible for the leasing of rail assets – and later ran his own business.

Returning to Alstom in 2008, his biggest position in the UK was managing director of the Regional and Intercity fleet.

As well as overseeing the servicing of the Alstom-built Class 390 Pendolino fleet on the West Coast Main Line, he also led the company’s successful bids for Nottingham Express Transit and Crossrail infrastructure in London.

Whyte was promoted to the role of managing director of Nordics in 2016, leading the Cluster to significant growth in terms of business, employees and projects.

He said: “From starting my career with Alstom over three decades ago to leading this dynamic and talented team, I am excited to build on the organisation’s proud legacy of innovation and excellence in the rail industry. Together, we will continue to deliver efficient and low carbon solutions that transform transport across the UK and Ireland, and beyond.”

Gian Luca Erbacci, Europe Region President at Alstom said: “Rob’s appointment underscores Alstom’s commitment to fostering talent and investing in the regions where we operate. With his deep understanding of the UK and Ireland rail sector and a proven track record in leadership, Rob is perfectly positioned to continue driving our growth and delivering transformative projects.”

Andy Butters has also been appointed the company’s managing director of rolling stock and components UK and Ireland.

Butters will oversee the production of new trains at Alstom’s historic Litchurch Lane Works in Derby.

He said: “It is a privilege to lead Alstom’s rolling stock business in the UK and Ireland, especially given that this year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. Derby’s Litchurch Lane Works stands as a symbol of Britain’s proud railway heritage and its future as a hub for modern train manufacturing,” said Andy Butters, Managing Director of Rolling Stock and Components UK and Ireland.”

Butters began his career in rail in 2008, working as a project engineering manager on Alstom’s Turbostar fleet in Derby.

Having left the site in 2011 to gain experience in other global manufacturing businesses, he rejoined as project director in 2019 to lead the delivery of the Aventra Class 730 fleet and was later promoted to his previous role as site projects director.

Whyte and Butters will take up their new roles at the start of February.

Link ICT has expanded its team further following the appointment of Daniel Woodward as an IT technician.

In his new role, Woodward, who lives in Chesterfield, will be providing on-site IT support to Link ICT’s client base of schools, academy groups and businesses based across the East Midlands region.

He previously worked for Currys, where he started as an in-store IT support technician helping customers define their needs, setting up laptops and giving customers one-to-one tutorials on their new devices.

Daniel Woodward

He later transferred to the regional hub in Newark and became a regional repair technician, where he worked as part of a team repairing IT equipment and recycling components from many different devices, including laptops, desktop towers, all-in-one PCs and televisions.

Before this, he was the IT systems administrator for a small chain of local hotels, where he helped to design networks, implement solutions for complex issues and train staff how to use the equipment.

His role also included a project to install in-room wifi access.

Woodward said: “I have loved working in IT ever since I did my work experience years ago when I visited local schools and helped the local IT technician with similar tasks to the role I will be doing at Link ICT. This was a wonderful experience, and I have never once regretted my career choice. Obviously, there are now huge technological differences, such as working with Cloud Servers and Mobile Device Management systems, but I am sure I will thoroughly enjoy the role, and I look forward to helping clients and adding to my skills and experience.”

Consultant ophthalmologist Lana A Faraj has joined the Newmedica Nottingham team as a partner.

Faraj is a University of Nottingham alumni, having completed an honours degree, Master and PhD before going on to teach medical students at the university.

At present, she is the lead for the corneal service at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton and brings a wealth of surgical experience to Newmedica Nottingham.

Lana A Faraj

She joins existing partners Veerabahu Senthil Maharajan, Aashish Mokashi and Richard Stead, alongside operational director Karan Morjaria.

Faraj’s appointment means that Newmedica Nottingham can increase its capacity to see even more patients in the coming year and utilise her experience to expand the range of services and treatment options available to locals in the Nottingham and Derby area.

She said: “I am excited to join the partnership team at Newmedica Nottingham and help drive forward plans for new treatment options. It is a fantastic time for the clinic as it looks to expand and help even more patients in the area. I cherish the ability to change people’s lives by improving their sight and look forward to helping Newmedica Nottingham’s patients. Delivering excellent patient care is at the heart of Newmedica and an ethos that is also very important to me.

“In the coming year, we also plan to offer our facilities and knowledge to help train new NHS surgeons, something I am very passionate about through my years teaching students. I’ve had a very rewarding career so far and am looking forward to this new chapter.”