Stagecoach South East has appointed Katherine Jones as its Commercial Director after she spent the past year undertaking the role on secondment.
Ms Jones joined the operator’s graduate scheme in 2016 after completing a degree in geology.
She joined the commercial team in 2022, serving first as Commercial Manager before becoming Head of Commercial. In May 2025, she stepped into the Commercial Director role on secondment and has now been appointed permanently.
As part of the graduate programme, she learned to drive a bus and gained experience across operations, engineering, control, marketing and head office functions before moving into her management roles in Ashford and Hastings.
Ms Jones also supported transport operations for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, helping to establish temporary depots and manage bus services for athletes, officials and Stagecoach customers.
In her permanent role, she will lead Stagecoach South East’s commercial strategy, with responsibility for ensuring the operator’s network meets customer and community needs while supporting a sustainable business.
She says: “I’ve always loved this job because it’s about people. That’s what drew me to the industry and it’s still what motivates me today.
“Our role is to make sure our network works for our customers and for the business. We’re here to serve our communities and everything we do comes back to the people who rely on our services.
The challenge is finding the right balance so we can continue providing the safe, reliable bus services our communities need.”
“What I love about buses is that they connect people. For some customers, the bus driver may be the only person they speak to that day.
“We provide opportunities, independence and a vital service, and everyone who works here plays a part in that. I’m incredibly proud to continue leading such a dedicated team.”
Stagecoach South East Managing Director Joel Mitchell says Ms Jones had demonstrated the qualities required for the role throughout her career with the business.
He says: “She combines strong commercial thinking with invaluable frontline operational experience, giving her a real understanding of our business, our people and our customers.
“She’s naturally collaborative, always seeking the views of others and challenging established ways of working to find better solutions.
“Having successfully led the commercial function over the past year, she has more than proven herself in the role.
“I’m delighted to appoint her as our Commercial Director and look forward to seeing her continue to drive the business forward.”
