Jane Simpson

Shortlisted for the WISE Woman of the Year Award

28 October 2016

Jane Simpson, Head of Asset Creation, Severn Trent Water

“People are our most important asset.” This is the driving belief for nominee Jane Simpson. Currently Head of Asset Creation at Severn Trent Water, Jane worked for Network Rail (NR) since 2009 starting in Rail Infrastructure Maintenance. In 2015 she became Chief Engineer and provided leadership and a very different type of role model to the technical community across NR and for the rail industry. She was responsible for the safety and standards for GB’s railway infrastructure and directed over 450 skilled engineers. During her time at NR, she inspired many to see a very different future from the one they imagined, making a significant contribution to promoting and furthering the diversity of the rail industry workforce in an historically male-dominated industry. Jane has herself coached and mentored women regardless of age, ethnicity or sexual orientation and established a culture and environment where this has become the norm. Her commitment to encouraging young women to achieve their full potential and consider a career in engineering is illustrated by her establishing a programme that by 2018 will see over 3,000 teenage girls from schools across Milton Keynes having received advice on pursuing a career in the railway. Jane advises other women considering, or already, pursuing a career in STEM that “the only person stopping you is yourself."

Jane's People Like Me types: Explorer, Developer and Entrepreneur