The new senior management structure at Wrights Group has been revealed.
A team of eight directors have been appointed, each of which reports to Group Managing Director Steven Francey.
John McLeister, who has been with the group since 1990 and MD of Wrightbus International Operations since 2016, takes up the role of Group Business and Product Development Director.
Brian Maybin’s role has changed from Group Director of Engineering to Group Technology Director.
He is credited with developing Wright’s Micro Hybrid technology, and will continue to lead the group’s research and development.
David Murdoch is now Managing Director of Customcare, while Chris Knowles is to take over production-related matters as Managing Director of Wrightbus UK & Europe.
Chris’ international counterpart will be Mark Mitchell, who will oversee operations at the group’s facility in Malaysia.
Lauren Christie, a qualified solicitor and former Group Head of Legal, is transitioning to the role of Group Commercial Director with responsibility for all contractual, compliance and health and safety issues.
Kirsty McBride is the group’s new Finance Director, having been promoted from a divisional accounting role under former Finance Director Mark Johnston.
Finally, Damian McGarry will take up the role of Managing Director of System Integration.
This includes component business of Metallix and Composites, the chassis division En-Drive and the arms-length specialist vehicle business Nu-Track.
Five members of this senior team – John McLeister, Chris Knowles, Mark Mitchell, Lauren Christie and Kirsty McBride – have come through the group’s leadership programme, which is run in association with the Irish Institute of Management (IMI).
Mark Nodder, Wrights Group Chair and CEO, commented: “We’ve tried lateral hires, but it can be difficult for people who haven’t grown with the company to really gel with the family culture.
“We have successfully brought in new blood from time to time and it has been very helpful, but we have always focused on growing our own talent.”
