Jane Simpson | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Coventry University University of Cambridge |
| Employer | Severn Trent |
| Known for | Engineering |
Jane Simpson is the Head of Asset Creation at Severn Trent Water. She was the first woman to be Chief Engineer at Network Rail.
Simpson grew up in Coventry. [1] She was inspired to become an engineer when she made a light bulb work on the WISE Campaign bus in the 1980s. [2] She was advised to consider a career in teaching or being a nursery nurse. [3] [4] Simpson has been a lifelong member of the Scouts. She gained her Baden-Powell Award as a Guide and her Queen's Scout Award as a Venture Scout. [1] She left school at 16 and started an apprenticeship at General Electric. [4] They went on to sponsor her to complete a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering at Coventry University. [1] She completed a master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Birmingham. [1] [5]
Simpson joined British Rail in Quayside Tower as a graduate in 1996, which was the year of its privatisation. [5] Working in one of the maintenance companies for infrastructure, she became Overhead Line Engineer in 1998. [5] She led the Overhead line between Euston and Rugby. [6] She was the first woman to hold the role, and says that male engineers did not know how to behave in front of her. [7] She worked for Marconi Communications and returned Network Rail in 2004. [5] [8] She joined the Infrastructure Maintenance Department in 2009, and was promoted to Director of Route Asset Management of the London and North Western Railway in 2011. [4] She was responsible for the electrification of train lines in the North of England. [9] She became a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2014. [10]
She became Chief Engineer in 2015. [1] She was responsible for £600 million of projects, and ensured that money was spent correctly to improve the UK's rail infrastructure. [11] She championed innovation in engineering whilst ensuring the customer saw the value of all investment. [12] These included mechatronics and small track-side robots which could provide intelligent inspection in situ. [4] She led a multimillion-pound project to digitise information systems at Network Rail. [13]
In 2016 she was listed as one of the UK's Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering. [14] [15] She was chosen as one of the 20 Most Inspirational Women in Rail. [16]
She was appointed to Severn Trent in July 2016. [17] Here she is responsible for all above ground infrastructure, including ensuring water is clean, waste water is treated and that renewable energy is explored. [18] She was listed in the Top 100 Women to Watch in the 2017 FTSE Board Report. [19]
Simpson is a campaigner for increased diversity in engineering. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] At Network Rail, she launched work experience and open evenings to attract more girls into the profession. [25] [26] [3] She is a trustee of The Scout Association. [27] [28] [29]