REG-FirstGroup PLC: Directorate Change - Appointment of Chief Executive

FirstgroupAnnouncement

20/04/2022 07:15

FIRSTGROUP PLC
APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

FirstGroup plc ('FirstGroup' or the 'Group') announces that Graham Sutherland
has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer following a comprehensive search
process led by the Nomination Committee of the Board. Graham will join the
Board as an Executive Director and take up the role of Chief Executive Officer
with effect from 16 May 2022.

Graham has an established record in strategic development, as well as in
delivering enhanced financial and operational performance and engaging a
diverse range of stakeholders.

Graham has held a number of senior leadership positions in organisations that
provide critical services to consumer, business and public sector customers
across the UK. He was Chief Executive Officer of KCOM Group plc, a LSE-listed
telecommunications company, from 2018 until its sale to a Macquarie-managed
infrastructure fund. Prior to this, Graham held a number of senior executive
roles within BT Group PLC ('BT') over twelve years. These included as Chief
Executive Officer of the BT Business and Public Sector division, where he was
responsible for profitable growth and led the integration of EE's Business
unit, creating a division with £4.6bn in annual revenues and 13,000
employees. Graham was also Chief Executive of BT Ireland where he was
responsible for all consumer, business and network activities. Prior to that
he was Chief Executive of NTL Ireland and has also held senior financial roles
including at Bombardier. He is a non-executive director of Savvi, one of
Ireland’s largest credit unions.

Commenting, David Martin, FirstGroup Executive Chairman said:

"I am delighted to welcome Graham to FirstGroup. He has a strong track record
in the delivery of critical services and in creating value for shareholders in
rapidly evolving regulatory and technological environments. Graham joins at an
exciting and important time for FirstGroup which is now a focused and
resilient business with a strong platform from which to develop. I am
confident that Graham is ideally suited to take the Group forward and I look
forward to working with him to maximise the widespread opportunities that
exist for growth and sustainable value creation."

Commenting, Graham Sutherland said:

"It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to lead FirstGroup. I look forward
to working with my new colleagues to drive the Group forward and deliver the
vital services that are key to achieving society’s sustainability and
economic goals. With its prime positions in bus and rail, strong balance sheet
and clear purpose, FirstGroup has many opportunities ahead and I look forward
to helping shape its exciting future.”

Other disclosures

Graham Sutherland's incentive arrangements are in line with the Remuneration
Policy approved by the Group's shareholders in September 2021. Full details
will be included in the forthcoming Directors’ Remuneration Report.
FirstGroup Interim Executive Chairman David Martin will resume the role of
Non-Executive Chairman from 1 July 2022. This announcement is made pursuant to
Listing Rule 9.6.11R. There are no other details required to be disclosed
under Listing Rule 9.6.13R. Legal Entity Identifier (LEI):
549300DEJZCPWA4HKM93. Classification as per DTR 6 Annex 1R: 3.1.

 Contacts at FirstGroup: Faisal Tabbah, Head of Investor Relations Stuart Butchers, Group Head of Communications corporate.comms@firstgroup.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 20 7725 3354  Contacts at Brunswick PR: Andrew Porter / Simone Selzer Tel: +44 (0) 20 7404 5959  

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is a leading private sector provider of public
transport services. With £4.3bn in revenue and around 30,000 employees, our
UK divisions transported nearly 700,000 passengers a day in the 52 weeks to 27
March 2021. First Bus is the second largest regional bus operator in the UK,
serving two-thirds of the UK’s 15 largest conurbations with a fleet of
c.5,000 buses. First Rail is the UK’s largest rail operator, with many years
of experience running long-distance, commuter, regional and sleeper rail
services. We operate a fleet of c.3,750 rail vehicles through four management
fee-based train operating companies (Avanti, GWR, SWR, TPE) and two open
access routes (Hull Trains and Lumo, our new East Coast service which launched
in October 2021). We create solutions that reduce complexity, making travel
smoother and life easier. Our businesses are at the heart of our communities
and the essential services we provide are critical to delivering wider
economic, social and environmental goals. We are formally committed to
operating a zero-emission First Bus fleet by 2035 and to cease purchasing
further diesel buses after 2022; and First Rail will help support the UK
Government’s goal to remove all diesel-only trains from service by 2040.
FirstGroup was recently named as one of the world's cleanest 200 public
companies for the third consecutive year by sustainable business media group
Corporate Knights in partnership with US not-for-profit organisation, As You
Sow. Visit our website at www.firstgroupplc.com and follow us @firstgroupplc
on Twitter.



Copyright (c) 2022 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved