Ascendal Group UK Managing Director Jonathan Ziebart has left the business to take up a directorship role with international investment and advisory house RebelGroup at its London office.
There he will work alongside colleagues to support bus operators and local authorities in delivering what Mr Ziebart terms “best-in-class transport” as part of a passion for leading real and practical change in how those services are delivered.
“This time of challenge is also a great time of opportunity for transport investment, and I am excited to work with and advise the wider transport financial ecosystem on maximising long-term value,” he continues.
Mr Ziebart has 14 years of strategic growth, investment and business turnaround experience from international public transport. Most recently he took charge of the Whippet operation in Cambridgeshire, having been a founder member of Ascendal Group in 2018.
His wider career includes senior international business development roles with FirstGroup and Tower Transit (now Kelsian Group). That includes work in Chile, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Panama, Singapore, the UK and the United States, with a particular interest in bus franchising, fleet decarbonisation, and transport and related infrastructure investments.
A successor at Ascendal Group is yet to be named. The business has advocated the wider adoption of bus franchising under Mr Ziebart’s leadership of its UK arm, but during that period it also saw the introduction of what is claimed to be the UK’s first privately funded battery-electric bus fleet, along with the operation of a large contract for FlixBus UK.
Speaking about the appointment of Mr Ziebart, Rebel Infrastructure, Assets and Operations founder Kimmo Oostermeyer says: “Jonathan’s move to RebelGroup is anticipated to bring fresh perspectives and robust leadership to the company as we continue to expand our advisory services in the international bus sector and strengthen our position in the UK.
“His international track record of success at Ascendal and his deep understanding of the transportation and infrastructure industries position him well to contribute significantly to RebelGroup’s future endeavours.”
