Transport and built environment leaders join Connected Places Catapult Board

27.08.25, LONDON, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities and local growth, announced today the appointment of two new Non-Executive Directors to its Board of Directors.

Darran Messem is an experienced company director with sectoral experience primarily in transport, energy, built environment and sustainability. He is currently a director of the Vehicle Certification Agency, Shoreham Port Authority, and Net Zero Projects - a construction technology start-up, where he chairs the board.  

Darran’s previous board roles include Director and Chair of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (now the Zero Emission Mobility Partnership), Senior Independent Director of Velocys PLC, Non-Executive Director of BRE Group (formerly the Building Research Establishment), and Chair of Iogen Energy. His previous executive roles include Managing Director of Certification and International Director of the Carbon Trust; Vice President Fuel Development at Shell, and General Manager Market Development at British Airways. He also served on the Strategic Roads Expert Panel of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). 

Gareth Powell is Managing Director at London Stansted Airport and a member of the MAG Executive Committee. MAG is the UK’s largest airports group, it owns and operates Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports alongside digital consumer business Cavu.

Gareth joined MAG from Transport for London (TfL), where he spent 19 years. His most recent roles were Deputy Commissioner and Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, which saw him lead TfL’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. During his time at TfL, Gareth was also Managing Director of Surface Transport, Chief Operating Officer of London Rail and Director of Strategy and Service Development for London Underground, managing around £5bn of revenue and a workforce of more than 3,000 people, as well as maintaining key stakeholder relationships including with the Mayor of London. 

The Board wishes to extend its thanks to Becky Wood who has stepped down from the Board to take up her new role as Chief Executive Officer at the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority. 

“I am very pleased to welcome Darran and Gareth to the Board at Connected Places Catapult. Their powerful combination of experience will serve to further strengthen the expertise and counsel that the Board is able to provide.

“I’d like to extend the Board’s gratitude to Becky Wood who, in her short tenure, provided exceptional stewardship at a pivotal moment for the Catapult which will have a lasting impact. We look forward to continuing to work with Becky in her new role as Chief Executive at the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.” 

Prof Greg Clark CBE, Chair of the Board at Connected Places Catapult

“Darran and Gareth have deep expertise from leading some of the UK’s most prominent organisations in the transport and built environment sectors. I’m proud to be welcoming leaders of this calibre onto the Connected Places Catapult board today and look forward to working with them as we continue to support SMEs to bring innovation to our sectors and connect places across the UK.”

Erika Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult

“Connected Places Catapult is focused on improving and decarbonising transport and the built environment, stimulating local growth, and unlocking the benefits of data and digital technology.  Having worked in these areas for nearly 40 years, I’m delighted to be joining the Board of the Catapult, and supporting the exciting innovations and technologies in these focus-areas to progress them from idea to market.” 

Darran Messem, newly appointed Non-Executive Director at Connected Places Catapult

“I’ve spent more than two decades supporting the growth of cities and regions in the UK, and have seen first-hand the role innovation can plan in unlocking sustainable growth, but also the barriers many SMEs and innovators face in accessing large organisations in both the public and private sectors.  I’m excited to be joining the Board of Connected Places Catapult to support the important work they do in enabling innovation in the transport and city development sectors.”

Gareth Powell, newly appointed Non-Executive Director at Connected Places Catapult