Experience

Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Limited

• Hong Kong
• Ground Passenger Transportation
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Operations Director

  • Feb 2019 - Present

  Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Ltd is a large publicly listed bus & coach company in Hong Kong and China (with over 1200 vehicles & 3000 staff). It is a well diversified business with a wide portfolio of interests including traditional local stage carriage services (the latter operated by the wholly-owned New Lantau Bus 1973 Ltd); international (cross-boundary) express coach services; schools services; employee services; residential-estate shuttle bus services; tour/charter services and scheduled minibus services. In my capacity as Operations Director (of both the holding company and the New Lantau Bus subsidiary), my responsibilities (inter alia) include external stakeholder management, introducing international best practices, embedding and sustaining a Safety Culture and ensuring that the operations team remains highly commercially focused in a business that operates in an acutely competitive environment. Show less



Transport Services Limited (TSL)

• Nigeria
• Truck Transportation
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Interim Managing Director (Urban Mass Transport)

  • Nov 2018 - Jan 2019

  TSL is the largest truck operator in Nigeria with almost 1000 vehicles. My interim role was as MD of its fledgling ‘mass transit division’ which was preparing to launch a new fleet of hundreds of new air-conditioned buses in the bustling metropolis of Lagos. Unfortunately, the planned launch at Christmas 2018 was delayed indefinitely for reasons outside of the Company’s control but it is pleasing to note that the services are now up and running. TSL is the largest truck operator in Nigeria with almost 1000 vehicles. My interim role was as MD of its fledgling ‘mass transit division’ which was preparing to launch a new fleet of hundreds of new air-conditioned buses in the bustling metropolis of Lagos. Unfortunately, the planned launch at Christmas 2018 was delayed indefinitely for reasons outside of the Company’s control but it is pleasing to note that the services are now up and running.



Transport investment (Asia) / Transport Investment (Asia) Ltd

• Hong Kong

• Director and Sole Proprietor

  • Sep 2015 - Nov 2018

  Lead Partner/Director Transport Investment (Asia) and TIL (HK) Ltd. Working out of a Hong Kong office (in collaboration with David Leeder’s established TIL brand in Europe), I provided ‘on-site’ interim management/ business advisory services to various clients over a wide geographic span including in Hong Kong itself (with KMB and its related company Long Win Bus); in China (Shenzhen Bus Group & New Ocean Group); in Vietnam (Saigon Bus); in Germany (interim MD role for a provincial bus company); in Singapore/Australia (Busways Group); in Kuwait (Kuwait Citybus); in Dubai (RTA via UITP) and in Africa (Mauritius National Bus Company). Show less



The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited

• Hong Kong
• Truck Transportation
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Transport Development Director

  • 2012 - 2015

  I was invited to move to Hong Kong from the UK for the fourth time in early 2012 by KMB, my erstwhile competitor in Hong Kong and the largest bus company there (with 4,000 buses and 13,000 employees). Oil prices were high at $130/barrel and KMB was the only HK bus company that was losing money, losing passengers and increasing its fares. The situation was unsustainable & accordingly, I was given a free hand to 'fix things'. My role as Transport Development Director was therefore specifically created in order that I might effect business change aimed at achieving business turnaround. The Company's existing planning and scheduling and development teams were all injected into the new Division which I headed. During my term of office, a wholesale restructuring of the route network was successfully undertaken involving extensive reach out to local stakeholders led by myself. Meanwhile, a new computerised scheduling system was sourced and KMB was introduced to the concept of International Best Practice Scheduling. The result of all this work was transformational. According to the Transport Department's Digest of Transport Statistics, it can be seen that KMB's 'passenger per mile' metric increased by more than 10%. Moreover, the the accelerated programme of business change eliminated over 20 million miles of unproductive service mileage annually without losing any passengers! Indeed, by striking a 'Grand Bargain' with the Authorities, I was able to demonstrate that 'less can be more' with the entire turnaround strategy being predicated on 3 facets as follows:- • 4 trips per hour, if consistently operated reliably and punctually are better received by the travelling public than 5 trips per hour that are operated erratically. • Route Network Restructuring - faster, straighter etc • An efficiency drive ensuring less vehicles, less manpower whilst at the same time increasing average take home pay/ bus captain. A win/win. Show less



FirstGroup plc

• United Kingdom
• Truck Transportation
• 700 & Above Employee

• • Jun 2010 - Mar 2012

  This was my 2nd term of office as Regional Managing Director in Scotland and the 2nd time I has been promoted to the UK Bus Board as I assumed full P&L for the entire Scottish Bus Business of FirstGroup (£200m turnover and over 4000 staff across various sites in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Falkirk and Aberdeen as well as the rural Scottish Borders. The promotion occurred on the re-establishment of a Regional Structure at FirstGroup Bus Division (all such Regions having been abolished during my absence from FirstGroup in Hong Kong during the period 2003-2006).A major difference between my first and second time in this role was the fact that my business unit in Aberdeen consumed a lot more attention on this occasion. Traditionally a very high margin business, this £20m turnover company had become a 'problem child' in my portfolio of businesses having suffered from poor management and weak leadership for a period of years. That said, these problems were fixed by my appointment of a trusted financial professional as MD in Aberdeen and by my acting as his mentor on operational matters as we moved the punctuality metrics from the lowest in the FirstGroup portfolio to the highest. This work was ultimately rewarded by a 'punctuality dividend' that ultimately proved the concept (once again) of investing in service quality for growth. Such also paved the way for some innovative tariff adjustments that delivered excellent yield in Aberdeen.At this time, FirstGroup plc was heading for a somewhat drastic re-rating in the City, having over-promised on its guidance for 'bus division profits'. Whilst the re-rating (and subsequent emergency capital raising/ dividend cancellation) happened after I left the Company, it was to be a factor in my decision to leave (as a good leaver), given a situation where the the traditional method of 'bottom-up' budget building in the bus division was beginning to reveal the true extent of the 'gap' between reality and the City's expectations. Show less

• • Aug 2006 - Jun 2010

  It was a privilege to be invited back to FirstGroup as MD of its £140m bus business in Glasgow for the 2nd time.In my first 100 days, I reversed a situation where the Company had been receiving a very bad press as a result of a perceived endless programme of service cuts & instead, generated a whole series of positive headlines. Upon arrival, I figured that I must immediately capitalise on the residual goodwill built up with local politicians during my first term of office (see press cutting) by introducing a headline grabbing initiative 'The Stability and Growth Pact' for Glasgow. In effect, this made promises about service improvements and also heralded some commitments to limit major service changes to 3 times a year (and only after a period of extensive consultation).In the process of selling this new initiative, some 40 MPs and MSPs were visitors to my office and we were highly active in local community reach-out initiatives. I was also busy competing for market share that had been lost to competitors to the extent that some 400 competitors' buses left the market during my tenure. By working in constructive partnership with the very strong Trade Union in Glasgow & building an excellent Board, I was able to raise quality of service substantially, drastically improve staff attraction and retention, improve the safety metrics as well as to introduce new innovative pricing initiatives and bus routes (including two new highly profitable airport services). My efforts culminated in 3 significant pieces of external recognition as follows:-• Winner of Scottish Bus Operator of the Year 2009 (after earlier win of Best Local Partnership Award at UK Bus Awards)• Winner in a personal capacity of the UK Transport Professional of the Year Award (PTMA Awards 2009)• Elected Chairman of the Bus Industry Trade Body in Scotland (CPT) and hosting of highly successful Conference 'Retailing for Growth' Show less



New World Services Transport Ltd

• Hong Kong

• Chief Operating Officer (New World Services Transport Ltd)

  • Jun 2004 - Jun 2006

  New World Services Transport Ltd (NWST) was the parent company of Citybus Ltd & New World First Bus Services Ltd. My role as COO at NWST was a dual role along with my service in the capacity as Deputy Managing Director DMD (Operations & Planning) of both Citybus Ltd and New World First Bus Services Ltd. As COO, in addition to providing leadership locally in Hong Kong, there was a remit to explore international expansion opportunities for NWST (with various firm offers being made). My term of office ended in June 2006 when, despite being offered a further promotion within New World:(with my DMD role also taking control of Finance & Administration), I made the highly marginal decision to avail myself of a unique opportunity to resume my career with FirstGroup in the UK (and take up once again in Scotland - where I had left off in 2002). Show less



New World First Bus Services Limited & Citybus Ltd

• Hong Kong

• Director & General Manager & Deputy Managing Director

  • Apr 2003 - Jun 2006

  I was invited to return as a statutory Board Member of New World First Bus Services Ltd in Hong Kong in anticipation of a prospective acquisition of the Citybus business in Hong Kong (which was then owned by Stagecoach). My job as Executive Director and General Manager was in effect the same as my old role as Operations Director, albeit that the only difference being that on this occasion, I was now working for a Chinese entity directly (FirstGroup having sold its 26% share in New World First Bus during year 2000).Upon the successful acquisition of Citybus, my role morphed into “Deputy Managing Director” with direct responsibility for merging the Operations and Planning Departments of Citybus and New World First Bus. Synergy benefits of circa US$13m/annum were delivered on time and on budget. Show less



FirstGroup plc

• United Kingdom
• Truck Transportation
• 700 & Above Employee

• • 2002 - 2003

  Promoted to take a place on the the UK Bus Board of FirstGroup plc as Divisional Director of 3 subsidiary bus companies in Scotland in Glasgow, East Scotland and Central Scotland respectively

• • 2001 - 2002

  Major achievements:-• Large organisational restructuring of the business saving £1m/annum• Margin enhancement and 'on budget' performance of this £120m+/annum bus company • Good Relationship Building with Trade Union and with External Stakeholders paving my way to a promotion to Divisional Director (Scotland) and to my later return to the role of MD in Glasgow after a third period of office in Hong Kong in the period 2003-2006

• • Feb 1998 - Jan 2001

  Seconded to Hong Kong as one of the Founding Directors to head up the newly established bus company, New World First Bus Services Ltd, a JV between UK's FirstGroup plc & Hong Kong's New World Development.My job as Operations Director had 3 distinct chapters as follows:-• pre tender; my role was to give inputs to the tender bid (international tender - with the winner based on an overall quality mark as no direct subsidy was involved). At the time of the announcement of the win by New World First Bus (NWFB), the then Commissioner for Transport, Ms Fanny Law was reported in the press as saying that it was in no small part due to the 'secret weapon' of Mr Mark Savelli as being the named Operations Director (this was in answer to a media question in which it was pointed out that the JV included FirstGroup, a company with no Hong Kong experience and New World, a company with no bus business experience).• gearing up the business to take over 88 bus routes (700 buses) from the previous franchisee (China Motor Bus) and designing and effecting an 'Operational Plan' aimed at achieving a Smooth Transition under a highky intense media spotlight• the operating phase: My role was to implement the promises made in the tender and to introduce 500 new buses and 88 new bus route working timetables over a period of 2.5 years. This was a highly successful endeavour and the Company was widely acclaimed for doing a good job by its various stakeholders, the staff, the passengers, the media, the politicians, the transport authority and shareholders alike.After the business moved from loss to a double digit operating profit margin within 2 years, FirstGroup made a highly profitable exit by selling its shares to the majority shareholder. And after a period of secondment to New World, I was then repatriated to UK to assume a big job with FirstGroup in UK Show less

• • Jul 1997 - Feb 1998

  FirstGroup is a British transport group, registered and operating in the United Kingdom. The company also operates transport services in Ireland, Canada and the United States. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.As Managing Director of two bus operating subsidiaries in Huddersfield and Halifax, with a total of 300 buses and 800 staff, I held full P&L responsibility of a business with a turnover of GBP32m per annum.During my short time in this role I successfully delivered organic growth of 1% in an already mature market by introducing new innovative bus routes and negotiating several important labour agreements in an environment where industrial relations were very sensitive.My success in this role led to me being promoted to Operations Director for FirstGroup's new JV bus company in Hong Kong, a GBP100m+ turnover business. Show less



Citybus Ltd (Hong Kong)

• Hong Kong

• Divisional Manager (Franchised bus services) 1993 onwards

  • Aug 1991 - Jul 1997

  Commenced employment in 1991 as Assistant Operations Manager in the 'Non Franchised' bus services Division. Commenced employment in 1991 as Assistant Operations Manager in the 'Non Franchised' bus services Division.



Yorkshire Traction Co Ltd

• Yorkshire

• Depot Manager (Huddersfield)

  • Jul 1990 - Aug 1991



Greater Manchester Buses Ltd

• Manchester UK

• Graduate Management Trainee

  • Jul 1988 - Jun 1990



British Rail

• Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Paid Industrial Placement

  • Jun 1986 - Jun 1987