Cross Country MD gone.

[class 9]

Just been announced, XC MD Tom Joyner has stepped down with immediate effect.
Sorry don't have a link,yet.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Just been announced, XC MD John Joyner has stepped down with immediate effect.
Sorry don't have a link,yet.

Tom Joyner isn't it?

 

[fgwrich]

Tom Joyner isn't it?

Correct:

Shock departure of CrossCountry Trains MD, Tom Joyner​

Just heard that Tom Joyner has left CrossCountry Trains with Immediate effect. HR director Zoe Kennedy said “It has been agreed with Tom Joyner that he will stand down as Managing Director with immediate effect” adding that Joyner will now “pursue other opportunities”.
Ms Kennedy continued by saying: “The recruitment process for a new MD will now begin, while we continue to concentrate on delivering high performing services for customers and communities across Great Britain. Julian Edwards and Scott Maynard will share the role of Managing Director on an interim basis while a permanent appointment is sought. They have both been working for us for several months and have developed knowledge and insight on the strengths and challenges of the business.” Ms Kennedy went on to say “Moving through this period of change, the focus of the business will remain firmly on delivering our vision to provide a dynamic, high-performing train service for the customers and and communities who rely on our network.”

Shock departure of CrossCountry Trains MD, Tom Joyner — Railway books and calendars

Just heard that Tom Joyner has left CrossCountry Trains with Immediate effect. HR director Zoe Kennedy said “It has been agreed with Tom Joyner that he will stand down as Managing Director with immediate effect” adding that Joyner will now “pursue other opportunities”. Ms Kennedy continued by sayin

www.chimewhistle.co.uk

I wonder what's caused that? Rowing with the DfT overlords or something else? Felt like only a few weeks ago he was unveiling XC's new plan for the future!

 

[RichSwitch]

Is he off to SWR?

 

[class 9]

Tom Joyner isn't it?

Yes, edited accordingly.

 

[Russel]

Trying to run a TOC with some rather large issues with your hands tied behind your back can't have been an easy job...

 

[Senex]

Zoe Kennedy, in the quotation in post #3: "... we continue to concentrate on delivering high performing services for customers and communities across Great Britain ..."

Can "services" really be qualified by "high-performing" when talking of CrossCountry?

 

[DelW]

Zoe Kennedy, in the quotation in post #3: "... we continue to concentrate on delivering high performing services for customers and communities across Great Britain ..."

Can "services" really be qualified by "high-performing" when talking of CrossCountry?

Only in the upside-down fantasy world of PR-speak.

"Pursue other opportunities" (or similar) was the standard euphemism at my last workplace when senior management was forcibly defenestrated. It always caused cynical laughter among those of us who survived the upheavals (because the company needed us to actually produce the work our clients required).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The likely change of ownership at DB Arriva (to I Squared Capital) might make a number of senior staff in their rail operations rethink their careers.
It's not impossible that he could reappear in the new management team, or elsewhere in the industry.

 

[sh24]

Immediate effect in that kind of role either means they have done something naughty or really pissed off the DfT or the owning groups board.

 

[MrJeeves]

Immediate effect in that kind of role either means they have done something naughty or really pissed off the DfT or the owning groups board.

Supposedly he had been on gardening leave for a number of weeks before now

 

[Mogz]

One wonders, with TOC MD’s generally, how often they travel Standard Class on one of their TOC trains at peak time to see what the high-paying long suffering passenger has to put up with.

For nearly two decades now I’ve been putting up with “sardine express”, “standing room only” far too short Voyager formations.

I know there’s no money for anything better nowadays though.

 

[chesterred16]

There's no "We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Tom for his efforts" etc etc. Reading through the corporate speak, he's had the bullet and pretty abruptly.

 

[Somewhere]

MDs are just figureheads. Most frontline staff probably don't know who their MD is anyway

 

[Goldfish62]

Given the wording I have no doubt he was given the push.

 

[Djgr]

Trying to run a TOC with some rather large issues with your hands tied behind your back can't have been an easy job...

but of course that's why they get the big bucks

 

[ScottGallagher]

Is he off to SWR?

Thought Stuart Meek the COO bagged that job? Sure i saw that somewhere

 

[43096]

Thought Stuart Meek the COO bagged that job? Sure i saw that somewhere

Correct, but only on an acting/interim basis.

 

[SteveM70]

Zoe Kennedy, in the quotation in post #3: "... we continue to concentrate on delivering high performing services for customers and communities across Great Britain ..."

Can "services" really be qualified by "high-performing" when talking of CrossCountry?

To be fair, she doesn’t clarify whether that’s just an aspiration or something she believes they currently do - you can read it either way

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

MDs are just figureheads. Most frontline staff probably don't know who their MD is anyway

Have you worked for a TOC?

 

[43096]

MDs are just figureheads. Most frontline staff probably don't know who their MD is anyway

If MDs are just figureheads, why is it that performance often improves or deteriorates when they change?

 

[Somewhere]

Have you worked for a TOC?

Why do you ask? Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. But the top job is a revolving door of figureheads coming and going

 

[Bigfoot]

Thought Stuart Meek the COO bagged that job? Sure i saw that somewhere

Temporary appointment until permanent replacement appointed. Although that could be him.

 

[fgwrich]

Supposedly he had been on gardening leave for a number of weeks before now

I'd heard that too - which is interesting as he was recently as the Midlands Rail event only a few weeks ago talking about the future of XC.

MDs are just figureheads. Most frontline staff probably don't know who their MD is anyway

Some do - When Matthew Galton was covering for Mark Hopwood at GWR, he would often be seen helping the staff out onboard, particularly when the Trolley's were fairly active on GWR. Since Hopwood came back (someone who I've seen dive straight for the rear cab or first class section), Galton ended up being somewhat sidelined after being sent to TPE.

 

[class 9]

MDs are just figureheads. Most frontline staff probably don't know who their MD is anyway

All XC staff know exactly who he is.

 

[GordonT]

MDs are just figureheads. Most frontline staff probably don't know who their MD is anyway

A sweeping generalisation. Some of them are very high profile and widely recognised amongst their staff. Some not so much.

 

[Egg Centric]

All the posters conspicuously asking about this make cynical old me wonder what's about to come out (and get my popcorn ready)

 

[185]

Also in Birmz, the finance director of WM just announced departure... could be coincidental.

 

[VP185]

A sweeping generalisation. Some of them are very high profile and widely recognised amongst their staff. Some not so much.

It doesn’t matter if they are high profile and widely recognised amongst their staff…. they are all merely glove puppets following instructions issued by the DfT.

 

[brad465]

All the posters conspicuously asking about this make cynical old me wonder what's about to come out (and get my popcorn ready)

One of the Exec Directors at my organisation, with over 30 years in it, last year left in similar fashion to what's being described in this case: a blunt all staff email and revelation the role was being covered by 2 other staff for 3 weeks before (essentially gardening leave although that term wasn't used). The reason unsurprisingly hasn't been disclosed, but 2 rumours floating around are falling out with the CEO, and/or they had an affair with their PA, overpromoted them in the organisation and was found out (the affair is widely accepted to have happened, whether it was the cause of departure is debatable).

I don't know what's been going on here but from the above experience sometimes senior staff leave for actions that can be inconspicuous.