Wrightbus has named Neil Collins as its Managing Director. He will lead the Ballymena bus manufacturer alongside Executive Chairman Jo Bamford and Chief Executive Buta Atwal as it prepares for further growth.
Mr Collins previously held the position of Ireland MD at Austrian mobile crushing company Rubble Master. He additionally brings senior experience from roles with Dimplex Group.
As a champion for various net zero initiatives with his previous employers, he has also played as goalkeeper for the Down GAA team, winning two All-Ireland titles in the space of four years.
Says Mr Collins: “I have known about Wrightbus all my life, so it is a real honour to be coming into the company at an incredibly exciting phase in its development. Wrightbus has taken the lead with its hydrogen and [battery-electric] buses, but we have to keep our foot down on product development. We want our buses operating all over the world, and we will continue to be relentless in innovating and developing new technologies.
“I cannot wait to get stuck in here in Ballymena. It is a phenomenal facility and has bounced back impressively.
“We want the best people to work here, and we want the local community to see that there is a bright future on their doorstep.”
Wrightbus now employs 600 staff, up from 50 when Mr Bamford rescued it from administration in late 2019. Since that takeover, it has delivered the hydrogen fuel cell-electric StreetDeck Hydroliner double-decker to multiple UK customers, and launched its battery-electric StreetDeck Electroliner.
