Eurostar chair set to take the reins at Go-Ahead Group
Transport giant Go-Ahead today said it has appointed Eurostar boss Clare Hollingsworth as its new chair following the retirement of Andrew Allner.
The rail and bus operator today announced that Allner will step down as non-executive chairman and retire from the board after the company’s annual general meeting in October.
Read more: Go-Ahead sees revenue growth in all three divisions
He will be succeeded by Hollingsworth, who has appointed Eurostar’s first female chair in July 2013.
Hollingsworth is also a non-executive director at UK Government Investments and a senior independent director at the Lawn Tennis Association, and has held a string of senior roles in the property and healthcare sectors.
Allner’s departure comes amid a recent turnaround in fortunes for the firm, which operates almost a quarter of all London’s services on behalf of Transport for London.
Go-Ahead suffered a 50 per cent fall in profit in the second half of last year due to the scrapping of its London Midland franchise and poor financial performance for Govia Thameslink Railway.
But earlier this month the company said it expects revenue from its London and international bus division to be higher than originally thought, sparking a sharp rise in its share price.
Read more: Go-Ahead appoints interim chief financial officer Elodie Brian as finance boss
Go-Ahead chief executive David Brown said: “I would like to thank Andrew for his contribution to the group, especially bringing the group’s values to life at board level. I wish him all the best for the future.
“I am pleased to welcome Clare to the board and look forward to working with her. She brings a wide range of experience that will be invaluable as we continue to deliver value for all our stakeholders.”