Mr Howard Smith | Operations Director
Crossrail | United Kingdom

Howard studied economics at LSE before managing train operations and stations in South and West London. In the 1990s he worked on Channel Tunnel services establishing joint ventures with Belgian and Swiss public and private sector partners. He became Managing Director of one of these joint ventures, operating rail freight services in France, Spain and Italy.
In 1998 Howard joined the Docklands Light Railway and lead the City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal Extensions, as well as planning the 3-car capacity upgrade.
Howard moved to London Rail as Chief Operating Officer at the end of 2004 where he has had responsibility for operations as well as successful delivery of a £3billion investment programme that created London Overground and upgraded the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) ready for London 2012 Games. Howard was heavily involved in the planning and delivery of the London 2012 Games and Paralympics when DLR and London Overground delivered record levels of performance whilst moving up to twice the regular number of passengers. Following the Games Howard joined Crossrail as Operations Director. Howard is responsible for leading the development of Crossrail’s operational and customer service strategy, defining the structure of the new railway’s operating and maintenance organisations as well as leading on the arrangements for the future Crossrail operating concession.