The Commercial Boat Operators Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr David Quarmby CBE as President to succeed the late Sonia Rolt. 

David Quarmby is chairman of the Canal and River Trust’s Freight Advisory Group (FrAG) and led the development of a policy for waterborne freight and the commercial waterways, since adopted by CRT in 2014.  He is now a member of the CRT’s Freight Steering Group, created to take forward the FrAG proposals for Priority Freight Routes.

David is widely known for his long career in transport and logistics, with 39 years’ board level experience in government, public agencies and the private sector.   Since 1996 his appointments have included chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority and of the Docklands Light Railway, and Board Member of Transport for London; he has been a director of consultancy Colin Buchanan, and chairman of the RAC Foundation; he was President of the Institute of Logistics in the 1990’s.  Prior to 1996 he was Joint Managing Director of Sainsbury’s, and earlier in his career Managing Director of London Buses. 

CBOA Chairman David Lowe said “We are delighted that David has agreed to take on this role for three years.  I know he will wish to be more than a ‘figurehead’ and will be getting out and about on freight boats and barges of all sizes, on the various UK waterways used for water freight.  David’s expertise and wisdom will be of great benefit to the Association as it seeks to support its member companies and the navigation and port authorities in the drive to attract more tonnage to the inland waterways.”

David Quarmby said “It is a great honour to be associated with CBOA as its President.  I have huge respect for its members’ knowledge and experience of our waterways, and I look forward to working with them to help bring more traffic on to the UK’s inland waterways”.

David is a native of Yorkshire, born in Halifax and brought up in Huddersfield; he took degrees at Cambridge and Leeds Universities, and has now lived in London for over 40 years.  David is no stranger to the inland waterways:  with his wife and family – and often with friends – David has enjoyed over 20 narrow boat holidays over the years.