Eurostar chief executive Richard Brown CBE has been honoured by the University of Derby in recognition of his “outstanding leadership in the transport industry”.

Richard, chief executive since 2002 of the high-speed passenger train service linking England with France and Belgium, was made an Honorary Doctor of the University at an awards ceremony held at the Assembly Rooms in Derby city centre. 

Eurostar has won a string of prestigious industry awards and Richard was awarded a CBE in the Birthday Honours of June 2007 for his services to transport.

The Eurostar chief was educated at Cambridge University, University College London and at Harvard University.

In 1977 he joined British Rail where he held a series of posts before being appointed a director of InterCity.

In 1996, when the industry was privatised, he became chief executive of the trains division at National Express, and later group commercial director.

He was appointed chief executive of Eurostar in 2002 and played a major role in the start of Eurostar operations from St Pancras International last November.

Richard, who has been credited with turning Eurostar’s performance around – the high-speed service is now delivering record passenger numbers – lives in Derby and was recently named as the  president elect of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK).

A University of Derby spokesman said: “This honorary degree is in recognition of his record of outstanding leadership in the transport industry over a period of 30 years.”