Our leadership

Jonathan is responsible for overseeing the internal and external financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and liaison with external financial stakeholders, as well as leading on financial due diligence for acquisition and integration targets on behalf of the Group.
Jonathan joined Keltbray as Rail Commercial Director in 2009 as part of the Gamble Rail acquisition, having previously worked in various finance roles in the SME distribution, manufacturing and facility management sectors.

He became Finance Director of the Rail businesses in 2012 and has taken on the broader Chief Financial Officer’s  role following the acquisitions of both the Energy and Highways businesses.

Simon Walkley joined Keltbray as its new Managing Director for Rail in November 2023. bringing a wealth of specific expertise and experience having previously been the Rail Director and more latterly Group Managing Director of Buckingham Group.

His expertise in developing and implementing solutions which address the carbon reduction and productivity challenges that face our rail customers are key to delivering the next phase of the KISL growth plan under new ownership.

Louise joined Keltbray Infrastructure services, following the acquisition of NMCN’s infrastructure assets in 2021, as Major Projects Director, with her team having secured the £49.7m M621 Junction Improvements project and the £85.7m A66 North TransPennine Upgrade project.

Previously she was the operations director for major projects at NMCN.

An experienced civil engineer with more than 30 years’ experience, highways specialist Louise was regional delivery director at Highways England, responsible for the performance of £2.1bn major projects in Yorkshire and the North-East.

Darren James became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KISL following its acquisition by EMK Capital in August 2024.  Previously he was CEO of the wider Keltbray Group, a position he held since April 2020.  During his time, annual revenues more than doubled with the pipeline of secured work increasing five-fold to over £1.25 billion, with a 12-fold increase in infrastructure markets

Prior to this, he spent 30 Years with Costain Group PLC starting on their graduate development programme and rising through the ranks to the Chief Operating Officer.

During his time with Costain, he has held a number of senior positions with significant profit and loss responsibility, including Managing Director of their £1 billion turnover Infrastructure division, and an executive board director for 12 years.

He has a wealth of experience in leading high-profile engineering programmes for both public and private sector customers, often in highly regulated infrastructure sectors, both in the UK and internationally.

An honours graduate in Civil Engineering from the University of Surrey, Darren has undertaken further postgraduate executive programmes at Harvard, Wharton and London Business Schools.
A Chartered Civil Engineer, Darren is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the Institution of Civil Engineers and Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.

Darren is a Director of the Rail Industry Association, a member of the Rail Supply Group Council and industry champion for the Sustainable Railway pillar of the Government’s Rail Sector Deal.

Phill became Chief Operating officer following the acquisition of KISL Infrastructure Service business by EMK Capital in August 2024. Previously he was Group Board Director and managing director of the Keltbray Rail and Infrastructure business.

He joined Keltbray in 2010, having previously been Managing Director of Laing O’Rourke’s Infrastructure business which undertook major projects across Utilities, Transport and Energy sectors in the UK and was a member of Laing O’Rourke’s European Board. He was a plc Board member of Alfred McAlpine and Managing Director of the Infrastructure business operating across Utility and Transport sectors. Prior to this Phill was the Commercial Director and Board Member at Yorkshire Electricity’s Distribution Company.

Phill has extensive experience at project and executive level delivering major business turnarounds and is recognised for delivering significant strategic growth in critical infrastructure sectors. He brings a wealth of experience on the practicalities of ensuring businesses and projects deliver against their key objectives, with a strong focus on Health & Safety, customer service and driving innovation.

Mike is an experienced senior energy infrastructure executive with over three decades of operational leadership experience in the provision of integrated solutions to high energy-use customers with business-critical core energy infrastructure.

Mike joined the Keltbray Group in September of 2017 to establish the company in the overhead line sector for the UK Distribution Network Operator (DNO) market.

Prior to this, he spent most of his career in the utility and service provision industry, and his previous roles include Director of Kennedy Construction Group, Managing Director of the water and gas division for Alfred McAlpine utility services and shareholder of ENS Ltd.

Mike has in depth knowledge of the industry’s legal regulations and guidelines and sets, manages and monitors operational HSQE and compliance requirements and targets.

Jonathan is responsible for overseeing the internal and external financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and liaison with external financial stakeholders, as well as leading on financial due diligence for acquisition and integration targets on behalf of the Group.
Jonathan joined Keltbray as Rail Commercial Director in 2009 as part of the Gamble Rail acquisition, having previously worked in various finance roles in the SME distribution, manufacturing and facility management sectors.

He became Finance Director of the Rail businesses in 2012 and has taken on the broader Chief Financial Officer’s  role following the acquisitions of both the Energy and Highways businesses.

Simon Walkley joined Keltbray as its new Managing Director for Rail in November 2023. bringing a wealth of specific expertise and experience having previously been the Rail Director and more latterly Group Managing Director of Buckingham Group.

His expertise in developing and implementing solutions which address the carbon reduction and productivity challenges that face our rail customers are key to delivering the next phase of the KISL growth plan under new ownership.

Louise joined Keltbray Infrastructure services, following the acquisition of NMCN’s infrastructure assets in 2021, as Major Projects Director, with her team having secured the £49.7m M621 Junction Improvements project and the £85.7m A66 North TransPennine Upgrade project.

Previously she was the operations director for major projects at NMCN.

An experienced civil engineer with more than 30 years’ experience, highways specialist Louise was regional delivery director at Highways England, responsible for the performance of £2.1bn major projects in Yorkshire and the North-East.

Darren James became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KISL following its acquisition by EMK Capital in August 2024.  Previously he was CEO of the wider Keltbray Group, a position he held since April 2020.  During his time, annual revenues more than doubled with the pipeline of secured work increasing five-fold to over £1.25 billion, with a 12-fold increase in infrastructure markets

Prior to this, he spent 30 Years with Costain Group PLC starting on their graduate development programme and rising through the ranks to the Chief Operating Officer.

During his time with Costain, he has held a number of senior positions with significant profit and loss responsibility, including Managing Director of their £1 billion turnover Infrastructure division, and an executive board director for 12 years.

He has a wealth of experience in leading high-profile engineering programmes for both public and private sector customers, often in highly regulated infrastructure sectors, both in the UK and internationally.

An honours graduate in Civil Engineering from the University of Surrey, Darren has undertaken further postgraduate executive programmes at Harvard, Wharton and London Business Schools.
A Chartered Civil Engineer, Darren is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the Institution of Civil Engineers and Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.

Darren is a Director of the Rail Industry Association, a member of the Rail Supply Group Council and industry champion for the Sustainable Railway pillar of the Government’s Rail Sector Deal.

Phill became Chief Operating officer following the acquisition of KISL Infrastructure Service business by EMK Capital in August 2024. Previously he was Group Board Director and managing director of the Keltbray Rail and Infrastructure business.

He joined Keltbray in 2010, having previously been Managing Director of Laing O’Rourke’s Infrastructure business which undertook major projects across Utilities, Transport and Energy sectors in the UK and was a member of Laing O’Rourke’s European Board. He was a plc Board member of Alfred McAlpine and Managing Director of the Infrastructure business operating across Utility and Transport sectors. Prior to this Phill was the Commercial Director and Board Member at Yorkshire Electricity’s Distribution Company.

Phill has extensive experience at project and executive level delivering major business turnarounds and is recognised for delivering significant strategic growth in critical infrastructure sectors. He brings a wealth of experience on the practicalities of ensuring businesses and projects deliver against their key objectives, with a strong focus on Health & Safety, customer service and driving innovation.

Mike is an experienced senior energy infrastructure executive with over three decades of operational leadership experience in the provision of integrated solutions to high energy-use customers with business-critical core energy infrastructure.

Mike joined the Keltbray Group in September of 2017 to establish the company in the overhead line sector for the UK Distribution Network Operator (DNO) market.

Prior to this, he spent most of his career in the utility and service provision industry, and his previous roles include Director of Kennedy Construction Group, Managing Director of the water and gas division for Alfred McAlpine utility services and shareholder of ENS Ltd.

Mike has in depth knowledge of the industry’s legal regulations and guidelines and sets, manages and monitors operational HSQE and compliance requirements and targets.