Speakers

James Bain’s connection to public transport began at birth. He arrived in Darlington in 1975, the 150th anniversary year of Locomotion No.1’s first passenger journey. 

He started with Virgin Trains in 1999, where he helped deliver the UK’s first onboard EPOS system before moving into revenue and commercial roles. His work at Arriva CrossCountry strengthened his reputation for decisive leadership across pricing, demand forecasting and ticketing. He later founded redspottedhanky.com, bringing a fresh commercial approach to online retailing.

James now serves as COO of Worldline globally while also playing a leading role in the sector’s modernisation. He chairs the Rail Supply Group, driving collaboration between industry and government, he is a Board Member with the Rail Industry Association and a passionate supporter of the Railway Children charity.

He often challenges short-term thinking and argues for a bolder approach to reform. His focus is a connected, multi-operator network where data and new technology improve daily life and restore public trust in public transport networks.