The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Board of Transport for London (TfL) today announced that Andy Lord has been appointed as London's permanent Transport Commissioner following a rigorous international search and selection process.
Andy joined TfL in November 2019 as Managing Director of London Underground and became Chief Operating Officer for all of TfL's operations in 2022.
He took on the role of Commissioner of TfL on an interim basis from 25 October 2022, following the departure of the former Commissioner Andy Byford. Since then, Andy's focus has been on attracting customers to public transport, rebuilding TfL's finances, advancing TfL's work to decarbonise and improve London's environment, and developing plans to further support TfL's diverse staff and customers.
Andy has overseen the completion of the transformational Elizabeth line railway, the completion of the Bank station upgrade, the development of the plans for new bus provision in outer London, the delivery of new cycleways, and TfL's work to support safe and successful events to mark the coronation of HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
As Managing Director of London Underground, Andy led the transport network's operational response to the Covid pandemic. He has been responsible for the safe and reliable introduction of Elizabeth line services, the Northern line extension, and the extension of London Overground to Barking Riverside. As TfL's Chief Operating Officer, Andy led the operational transport response for key events across the city, most notably The Platinum Jubilee and the ceremonial events marking the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Before TfL, Andy spent nearly 30 years in the commercial aviation sector, including 26 years at British Airways that culminated as Director of Operations for just over seven years. Andy is also a Non-Executive Director for the UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support Agency.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "I'm delighted to confirm Andy Lord as London's permanent Transport Commissioner. Andy brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise to lead TfL as we work to deliver the most affordable, accessible and sustainable transport network possible.
“I have seen first-hand Andy's dedication to rebuilding TfL's finances following the devastating impact of the pandemic and his commitment to delivering better services for Londoners and more sustainable travel across the capital, as well as promoting walking and cycling.
“I look forward to working with Andy as we continue building a safer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone - and a transport system that remains the envy of the world.”
Andy Lord, London's Transport Commissioner, said: “Transport for London is an incredible organisation, full of highly committed people who come to work each day to serve our customers and to make the capital a better place. I would like to thank them all for the incredible support they have given me. I am hugely honoured and proud to do this job and to have the opportunity to continue to steer TfL as we move forward with the work of supporting London's recovery from the pandemic, ensuring TfL better reflects the diverse city we serve whilst becoming the green heartbeat of the capital.
“In the months ahead, one of my key focuses will be on securing the long-term Government funding that we need to continue our vital work. With transport authorities across the UK now having long-term ‘London-style' funding agreements in place, London is now ironically the outlier. With the amazing economic driver that is the Elizabeth line, and with our partners and supply chain across the country, we have proven that investment in transport in London can benefit the entire UK. We must now move forward and work together to provide the services and infrastructure that will benefit everyone
Notes to Edirors
- TfL's draft Annual Report, which was approved by TfL's Audit and Assurance Committee on 5 June 2023 and sets out the organisation's work and delivery over the last financial year, can be found here: board.tfl.gov.uk/documents/s20171/appendix-1.pdf
- TfL engaged a number of executive search firms to tender for this recruitment at end of December 2022, appointing Spencer Stuart to undertake a thorough search of the market and support a comprehensive, fair, and transparent recruitment process.
- A global search was carried out, with the role advertised on Linked In and in The Times, Guardian and Financial Times.
- Spencer Stuart actively approached candidates who met the requirements of the role, over 213 individuals were identified, 10 candidates ‘long-listed' and 4 candidates ‘shortlisted'.
- A core project group, including TfL's Chief People Officer, Chief Officer Pensions, General Counsel and the Deputy Mayor for Transport worked with Spencer Stuart to oversee the recruitment process.
- Members of TfL's Board, including the Mayor, interviewed candidates and led the assessment and selection decisions. The appointment was made by the Mayor, under delegated authority from the Board.
- The base salary of the Commissioner is £395k, which is less than the average base salaries of benchmarked comparator roles.