Arriva has announced that Jens Abromeit (pictured, above) will become Managing Director of its UK Bus arm from 27 March. He succeeds Paul O’Neil (pictured, below), who is to leave the group and return to the manufacturing sector.
Mr Abromeit is currently Arriva Group Chief Transformation Officer, having joined the business in August 2022. He has driven what Arriva says are “initiatives and change programmes” to help it “become the leading passenger transport partner across Europe.”
In his current role, Mr Abromeit sits on the Arriva management board and he has worked closely with the UK Bus division. That will assist in his transition to leading it, the group says.
Mr O’Neil became head of Arriva UK Bus in May 2019, joining from Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace division. Shortly after arriving, he highlighted the potential to draw best practice from that sector, particularly its use of data.
Arriva Group CEO Mike Cooper has thanked Mr O’Neil for his service, highlighting the challenging period that much of his tenure has captured.
Mr Cooper has also congratulated Mr Abromeit on his elevation. “Jens brings deep operational experience to the role, with a focus on delivering high performing, sustainable operations for customers and stakeholders.
“He has more than 25 years in leadership roles, working in Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director positions for companies and international groups in Germany, France, Russia and China, both in mobility and the automotive sectors. I look forward to continuing to work with Jens and welcoming him into his new role.”
