North Yorkshire Moors Railway Appoints New CEO

Tuesday, 9 July 2024 12:14

By Matthew Pells

The NYMR Trust Board has announced the appointment of Laura Strangeway as Chief Executive Officer of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

After a great level of interest from candidates and an extensive process, Laura was chosen as the best person for the job after performing the role of Acting CEO since the resignation of Chris Price.

The railway board say:

"Laura has a wealth of experience in Tourism and Heritage management and a passionate commitment to preserving and enhancing the cultural legacy of one of the UK's most beloved heritage railways. "

Since 2015, her time at the NYMR has included working on a huge rebrand, TV and filming projects, the introduction of a new ticketing system and the launch of the huge Yorkshire's Magnificent Journey initiative. Laura also helped the award-winning attraction navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and spearheaded numerous crisis fundraising campaigns to keep the railway steaming on.

Jerry Swift, Trust Board Chair, said,

"We followed a rigorous and structured process that sought out talent from across a wide range of industries, including heritage railways. In the end it came down to two and I am delighted that Laura is the successful candidate and was so clearly the best person for the job. Laura gave us a compelling view of the future of our railway and I for one am looking forward to working with her on that."

Chris Gee, PLC Chair, and Jerry Swift, will now be working with Laura to develop clear short and medium term priorities.

Laura Strangeway, CEO of the NYMR, said,

"As the newly appointed CEO of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, it’s an honour to lead our cherished heritage railway into a new era. Our railway not only preserves the rich history of steam, but also plays a vital role in connecting our local communities.

I am committed to ensuring that we continue to deliver magical experiences for our visitors whilst bringing history to life. My hope is to continue working with the railway’s resilient management team, staff and wonderful volunteers to keep the spirit of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway alive for generations to come."

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