Transport group Stagecoach confirmed the appointment of two Managing Directors at its UK Bus division

31-5-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — Philip Norwell, currently Commercial Director, Stagecoach East, will take on the role of Managing Director, Stagecoach South East from 1 September following the announcement that current South East Managing Director Paul Southgate is to retire on 1 October 2013. Philip will work alongside Paul in the role of Managing Director (Designate) from 1 June 2013.

Michael Watson, currently Operations Director, Stagecoach North East, has been appointed Managing Director, Stagecoach South West with effect from 1 July 2013. As previously announced, current South West Managing Director Michelle Hargreaves will take up the post of Managing Director, Stagecoach East Midlands on 1 July 2013.

Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director Robert Montgomery said: “I am delighted to welcome Philip and Michael into our team of managing directors and would like to congratulate them on their appointments.

“Both have been part of the bus industry for a number of years and their experience will play an important part in their new roles. I look forward to working with them both to continue delivering high-quality, affordable and reliable bus services in the South East and South West areas and our clear aim will be to attract even more people out of their cars and on to our greener, smarter bus services.”

Philip Norwell has been in the bus industry for 39 years. He began his career at the National Bus Company subsidiary Eastern Counties at Peterborough in 1974. Initially a Traffic trainee, he then worked as a driver for 18 years, acting as Worker Director following privatisation, until the company was acquired by Stagecoach. Philip became Marketing Officer for Stagecoach Cambridge in 1997 before becoming Commercial Director in 2002.  During this time he has been key in the design and promotion of modern bus networks such as the award winning ‘Citi’ brands in Cambridge and Peterborough, which have both seen excellent growth.

Michael Watson began his career in 1996 in the Service Planning department at London Transport Buses. After five years in Planning and Procurement roles, Michael moved to Go Ahead subsidiary Metrobus as Assistant Operations Manager. He has also worked for Go North East, as well as in consultancy roles and, before joining Stagecoach, he spent five years with Arriva, as General Manager of the St Helens depot and then as an Area Manager in Yorkshire. Michael joined Stagecoach North East as Operations Director in November 2011.

For further information about Stagecoach UK Bus visit www.stagecoachbus.com

ENDS

For media enquiries, 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 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 serves more than 100 cities 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.