Rupert Cox (pictured) has been named Interim Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus. He will take up that position on 1 January 2026, at which point current MD Ed Wills moves to the same role at fellow Go-Ahead Group subsidiary Go South Coast.
Mr Cox currently serves as Commercial Director – Bus at Go-Ahead. Prior to that he led the group’s East of England operations before their recent sale to Transport Made Simple. He joined Go-Ahead from Stagecoach, where he held leadership roles including Regional Director.
Recruitment of a permanent successor to Mr Wills is underway. Speaking about his move, Mr Cox says: “I am delighted to join Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus as Interim Managing Director. This is a business with a strong reputation for putting people first, whether that is our customers or our team.
“I look forward to working with the talented people from across our networks and continuing to deliver reliable, accessible and sustainable transport for the communities we serve.”
Mr Wills will shortly return to Go South Coast having spent several years there previously as Operations Director. He will succeed Andrew Wickham as MD after Mr Wickham’s untimely death earlier in 2025.
Mr Wills joined Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus in 2021. He is credited as having guided the business through a period of significant growth and innovation with a substantial uplift in patronage.
He says: “It has been a privilege to lead Brighton & Hove Buses, Metrobus and Spirit of Sussex. Our success has always been rooted in the communities we serve, and I am proud of the partnerships we have built and the improvements we have delivered together.
“I am most proud of the team I have had the opportunity to work alongside – from our drivers to our engineers and colleagues in office-based roles across our depots. I know our company will continue to thrive under new leadership.”
