Stagecoach South Managing Director Edward Hodgson will leave the operator in October after a career of over 30 years with the group. Stagecoach has commenced the process to appoint Mr Hodgson’s successor, with South business to be overseen in the interim by Regional Director – South of England Rupert Cox.
Mr Hodgson began his career in the bus industry as a travel sales clerk when he was 17. He joined Stagecoach in 1989 and took on leadership of Stagecoach South in 2016. In that role, he has been responsible for around 1,200 employees and almost 500 buses.
Before that, Mr Hodgson was MD of the group’s Megabus operations in Europe. Other senior roles have included Commercial Director at Stagecoach South, Director of Megabus in North America, MD of Stagecoach West Scotland and MD of Scottish Citylink.
He says: “I have had a fantastic three decades with Stagecoach and it has been a privilege to have been involved in so many parts of the business in the UK, mainland Europe and North America.
“Across all the countries I have worked in, I have seen how important public transport is to local communities. Every day, we get people to work and education, bring people to our high streets, and help them to enjoy their leisure time and meet up with family and friends.
“I have particularly enjoyed my time at Stagecoach South, working with so many great people and delivering fantastic services to our customers. I would also like to thank the local authority officers, politicians and other stakeholders that I have worked with for their extensive support.”
Mr Hodgson adds that in view of the challenging pandemic period, he will “take some time out” before considering the next stage in his career.
Stagecoach UK MD Carla Stockton-Jones has thanked Edward Hodgson for his contribution to the group’s success. “He has been a great colleague to work with. I know everyone at Stagecoach will join me in wishing him all the best for the future.”
