Directorate Change

11 September 2024

FirstGroup plc

Appointment of Board Chair

FirstGroup plc (‘FirstGroup’ or ‘the Group’) is pleased to announce that, following a comprehensive search process, Lena Wilson CBE will be joining the Board as Chair on 1 February 2025.

Lena is an experienced director and Chair having held roles on listed and private companies for over a decade, serving on the boards of Scottish Power Renewables Limited and Intertek Group plc and chairing AGS Airports Limited.  Lena was Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise from 2009 to 2017 and prior to that, was a Senior Investment Advisor to The World Bank in Washington DC.

Lena is currently a non-executive director and Remuneration Committee Chair at NatWest Group plc and also the Chair of Picton Property Income Limited.

Commenting on the appointment Lena Wilson said, “I am very pleased to be joining the Board of FirstGroup as Chair.  I am excited about the opportunities that exist to deliver public transport services for our customers and employees in a sector that is vitally important to the nation’s economy and to continue the good progress the Group has made over recent years.”

Peter Lynas, Senior Independent Director said, “We are delighted that Lena will be joining us to chair our Board, bringing substantial experience from both the public and private sector combined with a strong track-record as a non-executive director.  We also thank David Martin for his service to the Group over the last five years.”

Further to the announcement on 26 July 2024, David Martin retired from the Board at close of business yesterday and until Lena joins the Board, Peter Lynas the Senior Independent Director will act as chair of the Board. 

This announcement is made pursuant to Listing Rule 6.4.6R. There are no other details required to be disclosed under Listing Rule 6.4.8R.

Contacts at FirstGroup: Marianna Bowes, Head of Investor Relations Stuart Butchers, Head of Corporate Communications [e-mail] Tel: [phone]

Contacts at Brunswick PR: Andrew Porter / Simone Selzer Tel: [phone]

Contacts at Panmure Liberum: Nicholas How / John Fishley Tel: [phone]

Contacts at RBC Europe Limited: James Agnew / Jack Wood Tel: [phone]

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference within this document may constitute ‘forward-looking statements’ with respect to the business, strategy and plans of the Group and our current goals, assumptions and expectations relating to our future financial condition, performance and results. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No statement in this document should be construed as a profit forecast for any period. Shareholders are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Except as required by the UK Listing Rules and applicable law, the Group does not undertake any obligation to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date of this document.

Notes

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 549300DEJZCPWA4HKM93. Classification as per DTR 6 Annex 1R: 3.1.

About FirstGroup

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is a leading private sector provider of public transport services. With £4.7 billion in revenue and around 30,000 employees, we transported almost 2m passengers a day in FY 2024. We create solutions that reduce complexity, making travel smoother and life easier. Our businesses are at the heart of our communities and the essential services we provide are critical to delivering wider economic, social and environmental goals. Each of our divisions is a leader in its field: First Bus is one of the largest regional bus operators in the UK, serving more than 20% of the population in the UK with a fleet of around c.4,800 buses, and carrying more than a million passengers a day. First Rail is one of the UK’s largest rail operators, with many years of experience running long-distance, commuter, regional and sleeper rail services. We operate a fleet of c.3,700 locomotives and rail carriages through three DfT contracted train operating companies: WCP (incorporating Avanti West Coast and West Coast Partnership Development), GWR and SWR) and two open access routes (Hull Trains and Lumo). We are formally committed to operating a zero-emission First Bus fleet by 2035, and First Rail will help support the UK Government’s goal to remove all diesel-only trains from service by 2040. During FY 2024 FirstGroup was named as one of the world’s cleanest 200 public companies for the fifth consecutive year and achieved Industry Top-Rated status for the first time with Sustainalytics. We provide easy and convenient mobility, improving quality of life by connecting people and communities. Visit our website at www.firstgroupplc.com and follow us @firstgroupplc on X.

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