About Us

National Express Group is one of the world's leading international public transport groups. Every year, we provide around one billion journeys worldwide on our buses, trains, light rail services, airport transfers and express coaches. We have 40,000 employees and are market leaders in the UK, North America and Spain. We are committed to improving the quality of life for all by ‘Making travel simpler ’ – showing how easy travel can be.

Board of Directors

John Devaney

Chairman

John Devaney was appointed Chairman in April 2009. He has managed businesses across Europe, the UK, Canada, USA and Japan. His previous roles include Chairman of Kelsey Hayes (part of Varity Corporation), Eastern Group, Exel and Telent and Non-Executive Director of HSBC Bank Plc, Ocean Group and British Steel. Aged 62.

Jez Maiden

Group Finance Director

Jez Maiden joined the Board in November 2008. He was formerly Chief Finance Officer at Northern Foods plc. Prior to that, he was Group Finance Director of British Vita plc, Director of Finance of Britannia Building Society and Group Finance Director of Hickson International plc. He is currently a Non Executive Director of Yule Catto & Co plc and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Aged 47.

Dean Finch

Group Chief Executive

Dean Finch joined National Express as Group Chief Executive on 15 February 2010. Prior to joining National Express, Dean was Group Chief Executive of Tube Lines from June 2009. Before that Dean worked for over 10 years in senior roles within First Group plc. He joined First Group in 1999 having qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG where he worked for 12 years specialising in Corporate Transaction Support Services including working for the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising on the privatisation of train operating companies. At First Group, he was Managing Director of the Rail Division from 2000-2004 and then was appointed to the main board as Group Commercial Director in 2004, before being made Group Finance Director. With the completion of the Laidlaw acquisition he became Chief Operating Officer in North America before returning to the UK as Group Chief Operating Officer.

Jorge Cosmen

Deputy Chairman

Jorge Cosmen was appointed to the Board in December 2005 at the time of the ALSA transaction. He was appointed Deputy Chairman in October 2008. He was Corporate Manager for the ALSA Group from 1995, becoming Chairman in 1999. Between 1986 and 1995, he worked in sales, distribution and banking. He is a Business Administration graduate and has an International MBA from the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid. Aged 40.

Tim Score

Senior Independent Director

Tim Score was appointed to the Board in February 2005 and served as Interim Chairman from December 2008 to April 2009. He is Chief Financial Officer at ARM Holdings plc. Before joining ARM he worked as Finance Director of Rebus Group Limited which he joined in 1999. Between 1997 and 1999, he was Group Finance Director of William Baird plc, which he joined from LucasVarity plc. He is a chartered accountant. Aged 48.

Roger Devlin

Non Executive Director

Roger Devlin was appointed to the Board on 1 October 2007. Roger spent 13 years as a Director of Hill Samuel where he was head of Mergers and Acquisitions and Chief Executive of their US investment banking operations. He then moved to Ladbrokes, later Hilton PLC, as Group Corporate Development Director. He now chairs three private equity businesses on behalf of Permira and Isis, all active in the leisure and hospitality fields. He is also Senior Independent Director of RPS Group plc, Europe’s leading environmental consultancy. Aged 51.

Sir Andrew Foster

Non Executive Director

Sir Andrew was appointed to the Board in August 2004. He has had an extensive career in the public sector having served as Chief Executive of the Audit Commission for England and Wales between 1992 and 2003. Before this, he was Deputy Chief Executive of the NHS and Regional CEO for Yorkshire. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Royal Bank of Canada Europe Limited, Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Council for England and a Non Executive Director of the Sports Council, Nestor Health Care and PruHealth. Sir Andrew has also completed reviews of Further Education and Athletics for the Government. Aged 64.

Miranda Curtis

Non Executive Director

Miranda Curtis was appointed to the Board in June 2008. She is an Executive Officer of Liberty Global Inc (Denver, Colorado), President of Liberty Global Japan and a director of Jupiter Telecommunications Limited (J:COM) in Tokyo. She has also served on the boards of Liberty subsidiaries in Singapore, Ireland, France and Spain. She is a Trustee and member of the Board of Governors of the Institute for Government. Between 1998 and 2002 she was a Non Executive Director of Telewest Communications plc and between 1998 and 2000 a Non Executive Director of Flextech plc. Aged 53.

Tony McDonald

Company Secretary

Tony McDonald was appointed Company Secretary in May 2000. Prior to joining the Group, he held senior legal positions with the in-house legal teams at Guardian Royal Exchange and BP and in private practice with Slaughter and May. He is a qualified solicitor. Aged 48

Divisional Heads

Javier Carbajo

Chief Executive Alsa Group

Javier Carbajo joined the Group in December 2005 when National Express acquired Alsa. A graduate in economics and with an MBA, he has been with Alsa for 30 years during which time he has held management positions in most areas of the business. In 1999 he was appointed Chief Executive of Enatcar following its acquisition by Alsa. In 2003 he was appointed CEO of Alsa Group. Aged 55.

John Elliott

Interim Chief Executive Officer, North America

John Elliott was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer of National Express - North America in March 2010. John previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Durham School Services - the National Express student transportation division in the U.S. - from 2000 until his retirement in 2008. Prior to joining Durham, John served as President of First Student school transportation.

John’s extensive experience spans both education and student transportation. He began his career as a teacher and administrator in the Chicago area. In 1972, he entered the transportation industry, joining KAL Leasing, where he was appointed President in 1974. The company was acquired by Ryder Truck/Ryder Student Transportation Services in 1986 and John was named Senior Vice President. Then in 1999, Ryder Student Transportation Services was acquired by First Student.

John has achieved many accomplishments throughout his 36 years in student transportation. In 2007, he was named “Contractor of the Year” by School Bus Fleet magazine and in 2006 received the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) Hall of Fame Award in recognition of his years of dedication and excellence in the industry. He also has been an active member of the NSTA board for more than 20 years.