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Thu March 28 2024

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Will Witehorn, founding president of Virgin Galactic and former Virgin Rail director, has been appointed chairman of the new Transport Systems Catapult.

The Catapult is a technology and innovation centre being set up by the Technology Strategy Board. It will focus on innovation for efficient and sustainable transport to ease congestion globally and prepare for the growing requirements for transport systems of the future.

Making the announcement, science minister David Willetts said: “An efficient transport system that can move people and goods in a cost effective way is vital to the success of the UK economy. The Transport Systems Catapult will make sure that new and emerging ideas to improve transport systems can be pioneered here and exported across the globe.

“Will Whitehorn is a real expert in the transport field, with years of experience and a vast amount of knowledge. He will be able to take forward the development of the Catapult and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have to transport systems across the UK and beyond.”

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Mr Whitehorn himself said: “The UK’s transport industry and the many service companies that support it are a huge global success story. While facing real issues that arise from the rapid pace of modernisation at home the industry continues to operate infrastructure for tens of millions of customers every day. The Technology Strategy Board has shown real vision by setting up this Catapult as a centre of excellence for an industry that has the opportunity to be world-beater and able to give people in the UK an experience of travel that is world-class at the same time. I look forward to playing my part in turning that vision into a reality.”

Technology Strategy Board chief executive Iain Gray said: “The Transport Systems Catapult will position the UK as the leading provider of innovative and integrated transport solutions to the rest of the world, estimated to be worth £900bn by 2025.”

Starting his new role on 1 March Mr Whitehorn will chair the board of the Transport Systems Catapult, set up to help grow the UK’s transport sector. He will assist the Technology Strategy Board to recruit a chief executive. Ongoing responsibilities will include ensuring the Catapult team meets its strategic objectives, agreed with the Technology Strategy Board, as well as ensuring good corporate governance for the organisation.

Mr Whitehorn is most recognised for his role at Virgin to establish the company’s original train franchise. More recently he was president of Virgin Galactic where he pioneered the concept of commercial spaceflight as the company looks to provide sub-orbital spaceflights to space tourists.

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