February Meeting with Sir Brian Souter

Thursday 23rd February 2012

84 members and visitors attended our February Meeting in the Ibrox Suite and gave a special welcome to our guest speaker Sir Brian Souter, Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group plc.

Brian gave us an insight into how he succeeded in his various business ventures as well as entertaining us with a medley of amusing stories.

We had 3 four-minute slots:

GRA—Rob Pryce
Will Services Scotland—Franco Lazzeri
Virtual Assistance@Virtual Angel—Angela Samson

Biography of Sir Brian Souter

Sir Brian Souter, aged 57, is Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group plc, one of Britain’s largest transport operators. He founded the company with his sister, Ann Gloag, with two buses in 1980 to become a major bus and rail operator employing more than 30,000 people worldwide.

He was Chairman and Chief Executive of the company until March 1998 and the architect of the Company’s strategy and management philosophy.

Stagecoach runs South West Trains, Britain’s biggest commuter network, and East Midlands trains plus 49% of Virgin Rail, as well as operating 7000 buses from Orkney to Devon, and substantial bus operations in North East America.

Sir Brian, a qualified chartered accountant, has been the recipient of a number of awards, including the Scottish Business Achievement Award in 1989 and the Scottish Entrepreneur Award in 1998. He received an honorary degree from Strathclyde University in 1997 and from Abertay University in 1999 plus others.

He has recently been awarded a knighthood in the Queens Birthday Honours list (June 2011).He lives in Perth, where he was brought up, and is married with four children.