Senior management

Chris is responsible for all legal and commercial services across the group. He has direct responsibility for the UK-based legal team and external lawyers and indirectly oversees the internal lawyers in countries where Arriva has a major presence.

Working closely with businesses across Europe at early transactional stages, Chris and his team liaise with internal and external lawyers and other group functions to ensure that there is a broad knowledge base of business law and legal issues in each jurisdiction and the transaction is structured from the most efficient aspect. All major legal and commercial services agreements - including large-value contracts, asset purchases and tenders - are approved by Chris and his team in conjunction with internal or external lawyers.

Chris, who has been with Arriva for more than 25 years, began his legal career as an advocate in England's High Court. He moved into industry after five years, working for international engineering groups, the last of which was a high-tech business focusing on nuclear power generation and specialist fabrication.

Chris says: "The legal team's role is complementary to operational input: we're involved at very early stages as we can provide proactive contribution towards resolving commercial issues. One of our major challenges is ensuring that we have a clear understanding of the differing legal systems relating to business law, and we do this through our internal colleagues and buy-in of external legal expertise. We work closely with colleagues in finance and taxation, and each of the businesses, to ensure we provide the right advice and support at the right time."

Mark started his career in the transport industry in 1978 and joined Arriva through the acquisition of British Bus plc in 1996.

He has worked in many of the Arriva companies and divisions throughout the UK and mainland Europe and was part of the development team delivering the group's European expansion.

As group engineering director, Mark heads the team which sets and monitors the fleet safety standards, manages the fleet procurement and other groupwide contracts, and provides engineering and operational support for the acquisition and integration of new businesses.

He is responsible for the development of new technology to help improve safety, reduce environmental impact and improve Arriva's financial and operational performance.

Mark sits on the board of Arriva Bus and Coach, the group’s UK bus distribution business.

Mark says: "Our high engineering standards reflect our approach to customer service and to ensuring we operate to optimum levels. Our engineering teams are experts in their respective areas and are central to providing superb service levels to our businesses and our customers across Europe."

Ken, formerly Arriva's head of internal audit, has more than 10 years of experience in internal audit roles and has held a number of international positions in this capacity in the UK, Europe, the US and Australia.

Appointed company secretary in 2011, Ken is the main point of contact between Arriva and parent company Deutsche Bahn in matters of policy and compliance, focusing on consistency and the application of best practice.

The company secretariat team has a broad portfolio, covering insurance, pensions and board administration matters in addition to groupwide policy creation and application, and compliance areas including competition, data protection and bribery law.

After graduating in accountancy at Glasgow University in 1983, Ken began his career as an accountant at Coopers & Lybrand before working at ICI for five years as development accountant. Ken moved to United Distillers in 1994 as business accountant, spent five years as international audit manager at Scottish and Newcastle then moved to FirstGroup as group director of internal audit.

Ken then spent a period with KPMG in Melbourne, Australia, as associate director in their assurance services business before he joined Arriva in 2008 as group head of internal audit. At Arriva, he focused on transforming the performance of the internal audit function through process improvements underpinned by creating opportunities for his team to develop and flourish.

Ken said: "We take a people orientated approach to policy and compliance, engaging with our businesses to understand their issues and aims, while sharing with them a wealth of experience and knowledge accumulated across the group and our parent company. Our approach, backed by solid process management, ensures that we deliver real business value."

Anne joined Arriva in 2000 after working as finance director for businesses including Ballast Nedam Beton en Waterbouw (a construction company). Prior to that, he had worked in the building industry as a project manager.

Anne, a qualified chartered accountant, worked in senior management roles at Arriva Netherlands from 2000 to 2006, when he was appointed managing director of the business.

In the Netherlands Arriva is a major bus operator and has significant rail operations in the north. Anne leads a team focused on continuous improvement, and recognises the importance of striving, and attaining, top quality standards, particularly in health and safety, and customer services.

Anne says: "We focus on quality. Being a quality operator will help us to achieve our aim of having a 35 per cent share of the total commercially addressable Dutch public transport market.

"With good, clean and punctual public transport, we are laying the foundations for further growth in the Netherlands."

David joined Arriva to set up the group's in-house tax facility in 1997. He had qualified as a chartered accountant in 1989, and previously worked in professional practice in both audit and tax capacities.

David and his team focus on the provision of tax compliance and planning services, ensuring compliance with legal obligations and generally managing the effective rate of tax across the group. He is closely involved in all transaction activity including acquisitions, disposals, reorganisations and financing and re-financing opportunities. He ensures that the group operates in a particularly tax-efficient manner and through this focus, contributes to the overall financial performance of each of our businesses.

David says: "Tax impacts on all transactions entered into by our businesses wherever they operate; it represents one of our largest costs and like any other cost it needs to be carefully managed.

"Arriva's expansion across Europe is providing us with many opportunities to work alongside local businesses and to identify situations where additional value can be added through improved tax efficiency."

Piers joined Arriva in 2003 after working for First Group as divisional director South and Wales. His career in transport began in 1978, working in different senior management roles across the UK, and latterly having responsibility for all elements of financial and operating performance in six companies.

He is now responsible for business development across Arriva’s mainland European businesses as well as identifying opportunities for growth further afield.

Piers is also accountable for the group’s bus and rail operations in eastern Europe and bus operations in Malta.

Arriva entered the Czech bus market in late 2006. In 2007 it began to operate a new rail contract in north-west Poland which has been renewed until 2020 and entered the Slovakian and Hungarian bus markets in 2008. Bus services are in preparation in Malta to begin in July 2011.

Piers said: "Transport markets in mainland Europe are mostly operated under contracted transport systems which provide very different challenges. Arriva has a strong track record of quality delivery and innovation in a variety of these markets and this provides a real success story when we are seeking to enter a new area.

"Our approach of having local teams delivering local solutions, and working closely with clients to bring something new to a region, is helping to convince authorities that Arriva's expertise is a valuable asset to have on board whether that is within the wider European market or beyond."

Thomas joined Arriva plc in 2004 as an executive assistant. In 2007, he was appointed business development director of Arriva Scandinavia, and was promoted to Scandinavian commercial director in 2008.

In January 2011 he was appointed managing director of Arriva Denmark, where Arriva operates around 50 per cent of bus services. Some 15 per cent of the Danish regional rail network is provided by Arriva, with market leading punctuality.

Thomas has a Master of Science in International business from Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, and an MBA from Kelly School of Business at Indiana University in Bloomington, USA.

He previously worked for ISS in 2004, and A.P. Møller-Mærsk in 2002-2004 and he is on the board of directors of the Danish Industry (DI) Service.

Thomas says: “We have demonstrated that we can provide customers with world class public transport, having broken every record for passenger satisfaction and punctuality in Denmark. We will continue to focus on the needs and demands of our customers through innovation and quality awareness in order to strengthen our position as Denmark's leading public transport provider.”

Marco joined Arriva in 2008 as Managing Director of Arriva Italy, and was appointed Managing Director - Italy and Iberia this year.

He joined Arriva from Ferrovie Nord Milano, where he gained 10 years operating and management experience in strategic development, general management and managing director roles.

From its entry to the Italian bus market in 2002, Arriva now has some 5 per cent of the market. It has recently focused on introducing new technology to help improve operating efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Arriva is one of Portugal’s leading bus companies. In the diverse Spanish market it has operations in Madrid, Galicia and Mallorca.

The combined businesses in Italy, Spain and Portugal represent 11,200 staff and more than 6,000 buses, with a share of rail operations in and around Lisbon.

Marco says: “Our work with local authorities is welcomed and well supported. Together we’ve been able to develop innovative solutions to help make public transport more accessible and easier to use.”

Peter joined Arriva in 1998 as group financial controller, responsible for managing the financial reporting and transactions for the group at corporate and divisional levels.

In 2001 he was appointed finance director of the group’s UK Trains division, involved in the development of Arriva Trains’ rail businesses and bids to operate new rail franchises.

Peter qualified as a chartered accountant whilst at Coopers & Lybrand, before being appointed group accountant at Northumbrian Water Group plc. He also worked for the Lancaster Group where he was divisional financial controller before moving to Arriva.

In his current role, Peter is responsible for the management and reporting of Arriva UK Bus finance, and is exploring development opportunities outside of the mainstream UK bus market.

Mark started his career in the bus industry in 1979 as a graduate trainee, working through the ranks as a garage operating manager, area traffic manager and operations manager. He joined Leaside Buses (which became part of Arriva in 1994) in 1989 as commercial director. He was appointed managing director of Arriva's entire London operations in 1998.

In 2009 Mark also assumed responsibility for the overall operational performance of Arriva’s regional bus services, and in 2010 he was appointed operations and commercial director of Arriva UK Bus.

Mark is responsible for delivering the commercial and marketing strategies for Arriva UK Bus, ensuring the viability and growth of bus networks across the UK. His role also covers customer relations: the latest survey of almost 20,000 UK bus passengers shows that 92 per cent are satisfied with the service they receive from Arriva UK Bus..

Mark is also responsible for ensuring optimum operating efficiency through effective management and use of technology, to provide safe, timely and attractive services.

Mark says: "Across all of our bus businesses in the UK people expect a reliable and punctual service as a given. We have a wealth of operational expertise to meet these needs and we work very closely with local stakeholders to try to ensure bus passengers are treated with priority for choosing a more sustainable way of travelling."