Martin brings over 35 years of experience in the rail industry, having begun his career as a railway trainee with British Rail in Leeds in 1989. Martin held a range of senior operational roles across the north of England, including leading best practice initiatives in UK rail control rooms and serving as Head of Operations, where he oversaw more than 1,400 staff across multiple depots.
In 2012, Martin relocated to Auckland to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer for the city’s metro rail service. During this time, he led the successful rollout of Auckland’s new three-car electric multiple unit (EMU) fleet, supporting the transition to a fully electrified network.
Martin moved to senior roles at Sydney Ferries and across Australasia, before returning to the UK to join Nexus—the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive—where he was responsible for bus, ferry, and Metro services across five metropolitan boroughs. At Nexus, Martin guided his team as they delivered multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects and oversaw the delivery of a new fleet of Metro trains.
Martin returned to Auckland in October 2023 to take up the role of Chief Executive Officer at Auckland One Rail. Under his leadership, the team has transitioned fleet maintenance in-house and significantly improved both performance and customer experience. Most recently, he led the operational delivery of the City Rail Link, New Zealand’s largest infrastructure project, transforming rail services across Auckland.
