Trainline appoints former Flutter UK boss Ian Brown as CEO

24th Jun 2026 08:43

(Sharecast News) - Rail travel platform Trainline said on Wednesday that it has appointed Ian Brown as its next chief executive officer with effect from 28 September, succeeding Jody Ford.

The company said Brown has extensive experience leading global consumer and technology businesses. Most recently, he was CEO of the UK & Ireland division of Flutter Entertainment, where he delivered sustained double-digit growth and strengthened its market position.

Prior to this, he was CEO of ANS Group and the Trips Business Unit at Booking.com.

Chair Brian McBride said: "I am pleased to welcome Ian to Trainline as our new chief executive officer, following a comprehensive search process. Ian brings a strong track record in scaling digital platforms and marketplace businesses, with significant experience in online travel. I look forward to working closely with Ian to build on the momentum Trainline has generated as Europe's leading rail app.

"On behalf of the board, I would also like to thank Jody for his leadership and exceptional contribution to Trainline. Under his tenure, the company has delivered significant growth, strengthened its market position and built strong foundations for future success."

Brown will join Trainline on 7 September to support an orderly transition with Ford.

At 1026 BST, the shares were down 3.7% at 203.40p.

Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said: "Trainline has found its new leader after parting ways with Jody Ford in February. Long-suffering shareholders hoping for a share price resurrection have been begging for the replacement boss to be the one and not fool's gold. Unfortunately, a 5% share price drop on hiring Ian Brown indicates he is not what the world was waiting for.

"Brown joins from Flutter and brings experience with digital platforms, qualities which could help Trainline in its quest to fight off growing competition in the transport ticketing space. However, a major structural headwind means he will need more than just digital experience to succeed.

"Shareholders have endured two years of share price pain as the market worries about the UK government's plans to create a single state-backed rail ticketing platform, thereby aggregating fares across all operators and going head-to-head with Trainline. This matters because the UK is so important to Trainline, despite enjoying stronger growth overseas."

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