Leading with Legacy: Three Area Chairs Unite to Celebrate Progress and Inspire the Future
At a recent North West and Wales Area event in Manchester, a special moment unfolded that highlighted the power of continuity and shared experience in leadership. Chris Mackenzie, current NW & W Area Council Chair, was joined by his two predecessors, Carl Phillips and Clive Evans, in a rare and meaningful gathering that marked their collective impact on the region.
This was more than just a North West and Wales Area event, it was a reunion, symbolising CIRO’ s enduring commitment to collaboration and growth. With each chair bringing their unique insights to the role, Chris, Carl and Clive were able to share valuable perspectives on how the council has evolved and where it’ s headed. Together, they paint a picture of an Area Council strengthened by committed leadership, and one that will continue to develop for the future.
The trio reunion provided an opportunity to reflect on how the CIRO North West and Wales Area had developed under their combined tenures as Chair, and discuss ways to build on this collective foundation for the future. This serves as a powerful reminder of the value of CIRO’ s institutional memory. By embracing past experiences and building upon them, the North West and Wales Area Council continues to evolve, offering superb learning and networking opportunities for CIRO members.
“ It was good to meet up with former and current Chairs and to reflect on the continuity of Area events in the NW from the very early days back in the early noughties. The opportunities to bring people of different experiences and generations together during the period of immense industry change was valuable and positive. It is good to see the NW Area is thriving, a special note of thanks to Tom Cox who has run the family days each summer since the beginning”.- Clive Evans MCIRO
“ Volunteering on area council has given me an excellent insight into the generational changes in how we operate railways. It has also allowed me to work with a fine team, to support members’ personal growth in the operations discipline, with all train operators, Network Rail and industry suppliers supporting our ongoing learning and development goals”.- Carl Phillips FCIRO
‘ In these times of ever competing priorities between business’ the CIRO has helped me personally and I hope those in the area in which I have the privilege to continue to serve as Chair, to bring the industry together, to share experiences and help take all that corporate memory through to the next generation of railway staff’.- Chris Mackenzie ACIRO www. ciro. org
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