Les Warneford, a former bus conductor and one of the UK bus industry's longest-serving managing directors, will step down from the post on 1 May 2013 when he will be succeeded by Robert Montgomery, currently Service Performance Director.
As part of the Group's succession planning, Robert Montgomery has been appointed Deputy Managing Director, Stagecoach UK Bus, effective 1 May 2012. He will work closely with Les Warneford over the next 12 months to ensure a smooth handover of responsibility.
Sir Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: "Les has played a very significant role in Stagecoach's success. He has headed a division which has provided consistently strong operational delivery, the best value fares to customers, huge levels of investment and industry-leading financial performance, as well as an exceptional track-record of passenger growth.
Robert has spent a decade with Stagecoach and has overseen the strong growth of our bus companies in the south of England, as well as expanding the megabus budget coach operation in the UK. I am confident he will build on these strong foundations. We also have a talented and experienced wider senior management team at our UK Bus division, and a strong network of regional bus companies who have the power and flexibility to run their businesses locally."
Robert Montgomery - whose first job in the industry was as a seasonal bus conductor in Paisley, Scotland - has nearly 40 years' experience of regulated and deregulated markets in the bus and coach sector.
Stagecoach carries around 2.5 million passengers in the UK each year on a fleet of 7,700 buses.
http://stagecoach-group.production.investis.com/media/news-releases/2012/2012-04-11.aspx
