Serco, which runs NorthLink Ferries from Caithness to Orkney, has new boss
THE company which runs the NorthLink ferries from Caithness to Orkney has a new boss. He is Mark Irwin who replaces Rupert Soames who stood down from the post last month.
Mr Irwin who is 57, joined the firm in 2013, and between 2014 and 2020 ran Serco's Asia-Pacific region, before moving from Australia to lead the UK & Europe division.
Prior to working with Serco, he had leadership roles in several private equity portfolio businesses in the US and China, and also worked for eight years in the US and Australia. Mr Irwin was chosen by the board after what was described as "a rigorous selection process that involved both internal and external candidates."
He said: "I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead Serco in the next stage of its development as one of the world's leading providers of public services."
Mr Irwin replaces 64-year-old Rupert Soames, the grandson of former UK prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill. Mr Soames is credited for leading a major turnaround in the company's fortunes.
The former chief executive of Aggreko, is said to have presided over a nine-fold increase in earnings per share during his tenure at the Glasgow-based business, after running the firm since 2014.

He said: "It has been the privilege of my working life to lead Serco for the past eight years. My respect and admiration for the wonderful team of people at Serco, who work so hard to deliver superb public services and value for money for taxpayers, is unbounded, as it is for Serco's customers. The team are dedicated public servants facing the immense challenges of delivering high-quality public services in difficult times."
Serco Ltd began operations of NorthLink Ferries in July 2012.
The company operates three passenger vessels on the Orkney & Shetland routes– the MV Hjaltland, MV Hrossey and MV Hamnavoe.
In addition, it runs two freight vessels: the MV Hildasay and the MV Helliar. The company has offices in Stromness, Kirkwall, Lerwick and Aberdeen and from the ferry terminals at Scrabster and Hatston.
NorthLink Ferries sail Scrabster to Stromness in Orkney and from Aberdeen to Lerwick.