2012-12-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — Stagecoach today (18 December 2012) announced a series of appointments at its UK Bus division as preparations continue for Robert Montgomery to take up the post of Managing Director at the business unit next year.
Robert Montgomery, Deputy Managing Director, Stagecoach UK Bus, is scheduled to take over the running of the division from Les Warneford from 1 May 2013. Both are working closely together to ensure a smooth handover of responsibility.
Stagecoach, one of UK’s biggest bus and coach operators, today announced three key senior appointments within the senior UK Bus team (see further biographical details in Notes to Editors):
- Elizabeth Esnouf (50) has taken up the new post of Managing Director, Coaches and Special Activities. She will be responsible for the megabus.com and Scottish Citylink businesses, as well as rail replacement services and other special contracts. Her previous permanent role was as Stagecoach Midlands Operations Director. She was seconded to the position of Olympic Project Director in 2011 and played a key role in Stagecoach’s contract to deliver athlete and media transport at London 2012.
- Gary Nolan (56), Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands, is appointed Regional Director (North) from 1 February 2013. His role will oversee Stagecoach companies in the North West, North East, Yorkshire, Manchester, Merseyside, East Midlands and East. Stagecoach will be recruiting a new Managing Director for its East Midlands business in due course.
- Robert Andrew (49), currently Regional Director (North), becomes Regional Director (South) on 1 March 2013. A former Regional Director (Scotland), this means he will have had senior management responsibility for each of the bus division’s regions. In his new post, he will work with Stagecoach companies in the Midlands, Oxfordshire, West, South Wales, South West, South and South East.
In addition, Les Warneford, who has more than 40 years’ experience in the UK bus industry, will continue to undertake special project work for Stagecoach after he retires in May 2013.
The other members of the UK Bus senior management team are: Colin Brown, Finance Director; Sam Greer, Regional Director (Scotland); and Mark Threapleton, Regional Director (London).
Robert Montgomery said: “I would like to congratulate Elizabeth, Gary and Robert on their new roles. We have a talented and experienced senior team at our UK Bus division, and a strong network of regional bus companies.
“Stagecoach has led the sector on investment in new technologies to benefit passengers and we have the best value bus fares in the country. Our industry-leading financial performance, and exceptional track-record of getting people back on Britain’s buses, means we are well placed to grow our business further.
“These appointments will ensure we have a strong foundation for the future. I am also delighted we will continue to have access to Les’s extensive knowledge and experience. We will keep on focusing closely on the service we provide to our customers, and make sure our companies have the support and flexibility to run their businesses locally.”
Around 2.5 million passengers travel on Stagecoach’s 7,800 buses every day. The award-winning company has around 25,000 employees across the UK. The company’s network stretches from south-west England to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and it includes major city bus operations in London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield and Cambridge.
For further information about Stagecoach bus services, visit www.stagecoachbus.com.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Stagecoach Group Communications on 01738 442111 or email media@stagecoachgroup.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
Stagecoach Group
- Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The Group employs around 35,000 people, and operates bus, coach, train, and tram services.
- Stagecoach is one of the UK’s biggest bus and coach operators with around 8,000 buses and coaches. Around 2.5 million passengers travel on Stagecoach’s buses every day on a network stretching from south-west England to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The Group’s business includes major city bus operations in London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield and Cambridge. Low-cost coach service, megabus.com, operates between around 60 towns and cities across the UK.
- Stagecoach is a major UK rail operator, running the South West Trains, Island Line and East Midlands Trains networks. It has a 49% shareholding in Virgin Rail Group, which operates the West Coast inter-city rail franchise.
- Stagecoach also operates the Supertram light rail network in Sheffield.
- In North America, Stagecoach operates around 2,900 buses and coaches in the United States and Canada. Megabus.com links around 120 key locations in North America. Stagecoach is also involved in operating commuter and transit services, contracted bus services, charters, sightseeing tours and a small number of school bus services.
Elizabeth Esnouf
- Elizabeth began her career in customer services, corporate hospitality and marketing in the tourism and education sectors. Her career in transport started in 1999 when she joined Blackpool Transport, working in commercial roles as Marketing Manager and then Business Development Manager. In 2003, she moved to Arriva in the North East as Commercial Director and later additionally became Director and General Manager for Arriva’s West Scotland business. Elizabeth joined Stagecoach in 2009 as Operations Director for Stagecoach East, now part of Stagecoach Midlands. From 2011, she was seconded as Project Director for Stagecoach UK Bus with responsibility for the planning and delivery of bus and coach services for athletes, media and technical officials at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Gary Nolan
- Gary has spent 34 years in the bus industry, the last 10 in Managing Director roles. After a five-year apprenticeship in the printing industry, Gary became a bus conductor in his home town of Rotherham in 1978. His subsequent career with South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) and the Mainline bus company saw him work as a driver, Inspector, Senior Traffic Officer and Marketing Manager. He joined Stagecoach East Midlands as Traffic Manager in 1995 and later became Operations Director based in Chesterfield. The acquisition of Mainline by FirstGroup in 1998 prompted his return to South Yorkshire, initially as General Manager, Sheffield. Gary was later promoted to Managing Director for First South Yorkshire. Gary re-joined Stagecoach in 2006 as Managing Director of the newly acquired Lincolnshire operation of the Traction Group, which was bought by Stagecoach that year.
Robert Andrew
- Robert has 27 years’ experience in the UK bus industry and has been with Stagecoach for 20 years in a number of senior positions. He has spent the last 12 years in either Managing Director or Regional Director roles. Robert joined the business as Operations Manager in Inverness in 1992. He became Operations Director for Stagecoach Bluebird in the North-east of Scotland in 1995 and subsequently held the same position with Stagecoach in Fife. Robert was appointed Managing Director of Stagecoach in Fife in 2000, and later that year his role was expanded to manage the Bluebird business. Prior to becoming Regional Director (North) in 2008, Robert held a similar position in Scotland.