David joined Rock Rail as a Partner in the origination team in September 2020.

He works within the origination team at Rock and is responsible for working with debt and equity investors to raise finance for new projects.  David’s particular focus is on rolling stock and zero emission bus projects in the UK.

David joined Rock following a 20-year career as a financial adviser and lender in the UK, European and North American infrastructure space.  In particular, he advised the Rock team on their first five greenfield deals and was instrumental in developing new ways to finance rolling stock in the UK.  Prior to joining Rock, David led the award winning financial advisory team at Operis.  Over the course of his career he has also worked for Royal Bank of Canada, Deloitte and PwC.

Louis began his career at Rock aged 16 before gaining five consecutive years of summer experience in all areas of the business. Following graduation from the University of Liverpool, Louis joined in a full-time role as an Analyst supporting Rock’s origination team and over his time, experienced the organisation grow from a boutique project developer, primarily set up to devise an innovative procurement strategy for the funding of the Mersey Gateway Bridge in 2014, into the UK’s leading financier of passenger rolling stock funding over £3bn of trains between 2016-2019.

In January 2021, Louis began investigating how Rock’s model could be adapted to support the UK bus industry after identifying some key factors that would increase the challenge of operators’ traditional method of bus procurement (i.e. outright purchase) and in turn, increase the attraction of a leasing solution. The most significant factor was the move to zero emission due to the higher upfront costs and various ownership risks associated with battery-electric buses when compared to a diesel alternative. Louis, and the wider Rock team, developed a leasing solution that grants fleet owners the ability to introduce zero emission buses at scale while minimising capital outlay and outsourcing key ownership risks around residual value and battery replacement.

Rock Road has recently established a joint venture with Aviva Capital Partners and formed a partnership with the UK Infrastructure Bank and HSBC to raise an initial £100m fund which will be used to deploy this proposition across the UK. Rock’s model is highly scalable and could provide access to £billions of long-term, low-cost institutional capital over the coming years.

As Commercial Director, Louis’ key role is to engage with operators and public transport authorities to market Rock’s leasing solution and support fleet decarbonisation across the UK.

Jake joined Rock in the origination team in June 2022. Jake has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering and over 8 years’ experience in the commercial vehicle sector, primarily focused on vehicle electrification systems. Jake brings experienced knowledge of Li-ion battery systems and vehicle electrification and will primarily support the Rock Road business, covering all aspects of engineering work.

Jake previously worked at Cummins New Power Business Unit in both the US and UK, where he led the global marketing and sales function for battery development for both high and low voltage Li-ion batteries, and held roles in product management, business development and new product development for vehicle and battery development.

Mark founded Rock Rail in 2014, having established sister company Rock Infrastructure in 2011, following a highly successful career in law at Clifford Chance (10 years) and DLA Piper (18 years).

Mark has over 35 years of experience working in the City of London, New York and Europe. For the last 28 years, he has specialised in developing innovative funding, financing and procurement strategies for major infrastructure projects, working to ensure the alignment of public and private sector interests and to deliver substantially improved public sector value for money.

Since founding Rock Rail, Mark has led the business in securing £3 billion of institutional investment into new passenger rolling stock for UK rail franchises. He is a director for the companies established to finance and lease each of Rock Rail’s fleets to the rail franchises.

Under Rock Infrastructure, Mark was Commercial Director on the landmark Mersey Gateway Bridge Project and principal advisor on the transformation of CAE’s helicopter training facility PPP.

As a lawyer, Mark created and led DLA Piper’s Commercial and Projects Group and in 2007 became Global Head of DLA’s Infrastructure and Defence Sector.

Matthew has over 18 years of experience of the infrastructure sector.

Since joining Rock in 2011, Matthew has played a leading role in the negotiation of the commercial aspects of all of Rock’s fleet.  He also played a lead role in the procurement and delivery of the Mersey Gateway Bridge PPP, which successfully opened in October 2017. In January 2020, Matthew started as Rock’s Head of Compliance and Risk to support the successful delivery of Rock’s fleets and later that year became Rock’s Chief Investment Officer.

Matthew has acted as a deal principal, financial advisor, a joint lead arranger and bookrunner and a legal advisor on infrastructure projects which gives him a unique perspective and insight into how to structure a project to bring it to a successful conclusion.

Matthew has specialized in PPP across all sectors from roads, parking and airports to the healthcare and education sectors, both in the UK, Europe and North America.

Prior to joining Rock, Matthew worked as a Vice President in the Royal Bank of Scotland’s infrastructure finance group (in New York) and was an Associate in DLA Piper’s commercial and projects team (in London).

Mike joined the business in December 2018 in the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer heading up Rock Rail’s expanding asset management operations. Most recently he has taken up the role of Chief Originations Officer responsible for new rolling stock and rail infrastructure opportunities and fleet delivery across all markets.

With over 10 years of rail industry experience, Mike has a wealth of commercial, franchise bidding and asset delivery expertise.

Before joining Rock Mike was Franchise and Programmes Director and Deputy Managing Director for Abellio Greater Anglia leading the procurement and delivery of over 1000 new rolling stock vehicles, working closely with manufacturers to design, build and deliver modern high specification rolling stock for the passengers of Greater Anglia. Prior to this Mike was Abellio’s UK rail business development director and oversaw the successful expansion of Abellio, winning the ScotRail and Greater Anglia Franchises.

Mike’s previous roles have spanned a number of other infrastructure focussed industries across Europe and North America, including water and waste, working on the finance, structuring and development of large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.

Charles joined Rock in July 2024. He is a chartered accountant with a background of 23 years advising on infrastructure transactions.
Charles is responsible for all financial aspects of the Rock Group, including financial strategy, group and project reporting, risk management, investor support, treasury and HR.
He sits on the Management Board and the Investment Committee.

Prior to joining Rock, Charles was a Corporate Finance partner at PwC focused on the infrastructure sector.  He brings experience of project finance, M&A, capital raising and regulatory and government advice. He was the UK Transport and Logistics leader and a government relationship partner. He has worked across transport, energy transition, telecoms and social infrastructure. He has secured over £14bn of equity and debt finance for complex infrastructure transactions. He was a member of the Corporate Finance Exco responsible for People.

George joined Rock in January 2019 and has 27 years of experience in rail health, safety, risk and assurance. As Director of Health, Safety and Cyber Security, George has responsibility for: Health and Safety Management; Safety and Quality Assurance; and Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) compliance activity.

George was the Director of Safety at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) from 2014 to 2019 where he played a key role in the setting of the national rail health and safety strategy and in delivering associated programmes, including sponsoring the successful relaunch of the national supplier qualification scheme, RISQS. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of the Network Certification Body, Network Rail’s independent assurance subsidiary, and has been a Special Advisor on safety to National Air Traffic Services, the UK’s national air traffic control body, since 2017.

Throughout his career, George has worked on all aspects of rail risk and safety management, legislation and governance including the design and assurance of safety-critical rail systems. He is a Chartered Engineer, and a Fellow of both the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Safety and Reliability Society. He is also the Visiting Professor of Railway System Safety at the Institute of Rail Research, Huddersfield.