Jonson Cox appointed PLA Chairman

Jonson Cox CBE has been appointed as chair of the UK’s largest Trust Port, the Port of London Authority (PLA), by the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps MP.

Jonson Cox takes up his new role from 4 April 2022, succeeding Christopher Rodrigues CBE, who has been PLA chairman since January 2016. After an early career with Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Jonson served as managing director of Yorkshire Water group and later CEO of Anglian Water Group plc. He drove the restructuring of UK Coal plc as executive chair, leading the creation and listing of Harworth plc and serving as inaugural chair.

Jonson Cox has been chair of Ofwat since 2012, a role from which he will retire later this year. His prior Thames’ experience was as chair of Cory Group, leading its successful sale to infrastructure funds in 2018. His logistics experience includes nine years as non-executive director of Wincanton plc.

The PLA oversees the tidal Thames, home to the UK’s largest port and busiest inland waterway. It has just launched a consultation on Thames Vision 2050, the updated development plan for the river, charting a future as Net Zero trading hub, destination and natural haven.

PLA chairman, Christopher Rodrigues, said:

“It has been my very great pleasure to lead and support the PLA team as London grew to become the UK’s largest port. Thanks to the commitment of our staff, we were able to sustain the port through the COVID-19 pandemic, playing a key role supporting essential supply chains.

“Mapping and shaping the port’s future has been a major focus of the last six years. The resulting framework, Thames Vision 2050 - now out for consultation – sets the path for the river as trading hub, destination and natural haven. I look forward to watching Jonson and the PLA taking the Vision forward, making the most of the Thames, the nation’s Great River City.”

Jonson Cox said:

"I am delighted to take over as PLA chair, the second Thames-linked role in my career. The Port of London plays a key role in national life, from essential hub in supply chains to valued environment and iconic destination. I look forward to working with the team, continuing the PLA’s evolution as essential service provider and convenor, drawing the river community together, working to leave it in a better condition for future generations.”

Jonson Cox serves on the global policy council of I Squared Capital and is a non-executive director at Energia, the Irish energy group, and Ovo, the UK energy retailer.

Christopher Rodrigues is chair of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.