Background
Veredus provide interim executive talent across the transport and infrastructure sector, including many of the UK train operating companies, Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group.
We recruit exceptional individuals across all functions, including HR, Finance, Operations, Engineering, Health and Safety, Procurement, Projects and Programme Management.
The challenge
SWR is a joint venture between First Group and MTR Corporation from Hong Kong. Operating over 1,500 services each weekday across the network, South Western Railway (SWR) employs more than 5,000 employees and provides commuter inter-urban, regional and long-distance services to passengers in South West London and southern counties of England and Island Line services on the Isle of Wight.
SWR have been a client of Veredus for many years and required the following two roles on an interim basis.
Customer Experience – the role was responsible for developing the Customer information strategy and ensuring a consistent approach to customer information across the business. Defining how, when and what is communicated to customers. This interim was required to deliver a step change in customer information
Marketing Strategy – the need was for an experienced consultant to accelerate and transform the marketing function, strategy and plan.
The challenge was to identify two available interim managers with significant functional expertise, together with skills and experience to manage change and engage with multiple stakeholders.
Our solution:
In both instances we undertook searches for experienced interims both inside the rail and related sectors. We also searched other sectors where customer experience and consumer marketing is a key part of the organisation’s drive.
In addition, we integrated a talent bank of interims that we have worked with in the past, to both source talent and recommend other interims we should speak with.
Shortlists were presented for both roles and two appointments were made. One candidate joined with a rail sector background and the other joined from a retail sector career.