The main functions of the Office, headed by a Director, are to advise the PPP Arbiter on the directions and guidance he gives and to ensure that there is sufficient understanding of the PPP Agreements and of Good Industry Practice to enable that advice be given in a timely and authoritative way. The Office will also need to document directions and guidance, instruct external advisers, monitor performance of the PPP Agreements and commission research on relevant issues.

Under the Financial Framework agreed between the PPP Arbiter and Department for Transport dated 1 March 2006, the PPP Arbiter is required to prepare a statement of accounts in the form and on the basis agreed with the Secretary of State for Transport, with the consent of the Treasury. A full list of annual accounts along with the relevant annual report can be found in the'Annual Report and Accounts' section of this website.

The current structure of the Office is set out below:

 

Biographies

Chris Bolt - the PPP Arbiter

An economist by training, his career has included senior roles in both the public and private sector. In the public sector, he worked in a number of departments as an economist, including HM Treasury. From 1988 to 1989, he was part of the Department of the Environment team responsible for privatising the water industry and establishing its initial regulatory regime. He then joined Ofwat, on its establishment, as Head of Economic Regulation. He moved to the Office of the Rail Regulator in a similar role in 1994 and was appointed as Rail Regulator from December 1998 to July 1999.

In July 1999, he joined Transco plc, the regulated subsidiary of Lattice Group plc, as Regulation and Corporate Affairs Director. He was appointed to the new role of Group Director, Regulation and Public Policy in Transco's parent company, Lattice Group plc, in November 2001. He left Lattice in October 2002 on completion of the merger with National Grid Group plc.

Chris was also appointed Chairman of the Office of Rail Regulation in July 2004, for a five year term.

Gaynor Mather - Director

Gaynor Mather joined the PPP Arbiter's Office as its Director in June 2003. Gaynor has 14 years' railway experience gained with LUL, where she was employed in a range of planning and operational roles. Prior to her appointment as Director, Gaynor was General Manager PPP for LUL and in this post was closely involved in the development and negotiation of the PPP Agreements.

Advisers

James Le Couilliard (Commercial Adviser) was a Director specialising in transport PPPs in the Infrastructure, Government and Utilities division of PricewaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance. He originally joined Price Waterhouse in 1987 where he trained as a Chartered Accountant and has broad experience of corporate finance work in a range of infrastructure companies. Immediately prior to joining the Office, James was part of the PwC team advising LUL and Government on the PPP Agreements.

Peter Dickinson (Technical Adviser) joined OPPPA in August 2008 from the electricity and gas sector regulator Ofgem, where he worked for eight years as a Technical Adviser.  Prior to joining Ofgem he worked in a number of engineering and management roles, mostly in the energy sector.  He is a Chartered Engineer with a broad range of experience in regulatory, engineering and management environments.

Elise Weeder (Commercial Manager) joined the Office in May 2007 from the Infrastructure, Government and Utilities division of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where she spent 2 years as a Manager providing economic, strategic and financial advice in relation to transport projects, including the London Underground PPP.  Immediately prior to joining PwC, Elise spent 3 years as an Economist at the Office of Rail Regulation, where she was part of the core team undertaking the 2003 access charges review. 

Helen German (Technical Analyst) joined OPPPA in April 2007 from an economic consulting background.  She began as a graduate trainee at SQW Economic and Social Research Consultants and progressed to consultant.  Prior to this Helen graduated in Economics from Nottingham University in 2003 and worked for a year at the Law Society.

 






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