Role: Business Director (Bus Operations, Fares and Ticketing)

Career Area: Transport Strategy and Planning 

Location: Glasgow

My role at SYSTRA

I lead our teams providing advice to clients about how to deliver bus services and fare collection in the most efficient and effective way. Every week is different, but this means I split my time between providing consultancy advice to high profile clients mostly in the public sector, making sure our projects are delivered to the highest standards, and working to identify where the next major business opportunity will come from.

To achieve all this, I’m supported in different ways by all our bus specialists here at SYSTRA. A significant proportion of our business comes from clients outside the UK, so I work with our colleagues in Ireland, and at many other SYSTRA entities around the world, to help them identify new business.

As Business Director, I am also responsible for future business planning – the annual budget process; checking for delivery against KPIs such as margin generated; work won; invoicing and debtors; as well as ensuring that we support everyone to make the most of their career at SYSTRA.

My career journey

Before I joined SYSTRA I was a senior manager at two of the UK’s largest bus operators – not only did I learn a lot about how to run a successful bus operation, but I was also responsible for business planning and people development.

When I first joined SYSTRA, I made a lot of use of my skills and knowledge associated with bus operations, fares and ticketing, but as we became more successful in establishing ourselves as the consultancy market leader in this sector, it became clear that we needed a better focus on continued growth. This was when I was invited to join the senior leadership team as a business director.

We asked Neill…
When did you realise this was the career path for you?

I spent about 20 years working in bus operations – I loved it but wanted something which offered me a pipeline of fresh challenges on a regular basis. After some special projects for Arriva (who I worked for at the time) I realised that consultancy would be a better match for the second half of my career, and I’ve never regretted it.

Have you got any words of wisdom for someone starting out in a similar role?

Don’t worry about what you don’t know – there’s plenty of people who are in the same boat. Every day you acquire more wisdom and experience. Make use of that and be nice to the people around you – they’ll repay you many times over.

How does SYSTRA stand out from the rest as a great place to work?

I’ve been really lucky to work with many SYSTRA colleagues around the globe. Throughout the Group I’ve found reliable, friendly and professional people who want to provide the best services to our clients, and who share my passion for interesting projects. Compared to other places I’ve worked, I think we have a unique culture that combines high quality professionalism with the ability to enjoy what we’re doing, and not take ourselves too seriously all the time. The willingness of colleagues to step up to challenges and look out for each other is really refreshing.

With such power in diversity, what unique perspective do you bring to the table?

As a dad of two girls, both now grown up and forging their own careers, I try really hard not to live up to the old white guy in the corner stereotype. I believe every single one of us can be whatever we want to be, in our jobs and in our lives, and I want to help everyone to achieve that. If you ever hear me say “that’s the way we’ve always done it”, please arrange to have me pensioned off immediately! 

Where is the place that has inspired you the most?

I’ve been so lucky to have worked in over 15 countries during my career. I usually add a new one to the list every year. And I’ve travelled widely for work in the UK and Ireland too. In the UK my favourite place is probably Shetland – lovely people and lifestyle, with marvellous scenery. India is just an amazing place to visit too. Everyone is so friendly, there’s an amazing buzz everywhere you go, good food, and some interesting projects to work on.

What does true sustainability really mean to you?

Safeguarding the world that I pass on to my daughters. Not just in terms of the changing climate, but also ensuring a political and economic system which continues to underpin the safety and liberty that I’ve taken for granted throughout my life.

What would a green future look like?

We’d have completed the transition to genuinely zero emissions in transport – not just zero emissions at point of consumption, but also throughout the supply chain and without resorting to offsetting. But I’d also like it to still be a fun future – telling people they can’t travel won’t cut it.

How do you look after your wellbeing outside of work?

I like to go on nice holidays, adding to my tally of countries I’ve visited and parts of the UK I’ve explored. On a day-to-day basis, I’m in the gym regularly and I like to run and cycle. But I also need to ‘veg out’ sometimes, and just watch a good police drama on TV.

If you could spend your lunchbreak with someone you really admire, who would you choose?

Clement Attlee. The ability of politicians to get so much done so quickly and with so little money after the ravages of World War Two was absolutely incredible, and I’d like to learn how they did it. The world as we know it today would have been very different without the foundations he and his government laid in 1945.

If you had to pick, which mode of transport would you use for the rest of your life?

The bus of course!

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