c ). ▁He ▁has ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁consult ant ▁in ▁the ▁railway ▁industry ▁and ▁held ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁management ▁posts , ▁most ▁not ably ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁of ▁Network ▁Rail ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁C ouch er ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁in ▁St ▁Alb ans , ▁H ert ford shire . ▁He ▁was ▁brought ▁up ▁in ▁Don c aster ▁and ▁Le eds , ▁where ▁his ▁father , ▁Brian , ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁electric ity ▁generating ▁board . ▁He ▁originally ▁wanted ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁pilot ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Ash ville ▁College , ▁an ▁independent ▁board ing ▁school ▁in ▁Har rog ate , ▁North ▁York shire . ▁He ▁board ed ▁in ▁Wind erm ere ▁House ▁– ▁part ▁of ▁Mall inson . ▁C ouch er ▁was ▁a ▁good ▁tennis ▁player ▁and ▁represented ▁the ▁school ▁tennis ▁team . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁Ash ville ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁he ▁attended ▁Imperial ▁College ▁London ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁Aer onaut ical ▁engineering . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁( B Sc ). ▁Later ▁he ▁completed ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Business ▁Administration ▁( M BA ) ▁at ▁Hen ley ▁Management ▁College ▁( now ▁called ▁Hen ley ▁Business ▁School ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Reading ). ▁ ▁Career ▁He ▁started ▁his ▁working ▁life ▁as ▁an ▁air - to - ground