All Aboard! Wrightbus Team Racks Up 200 Years of Service
Zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus has made a purposeful start to 2026, reinforcing its market-leading expertise with a series of strategic promotions and appointments across the group. The sales organisation alone represents more than two centuries of combined service at Wrightbus, underscoring long-term commitment and continuity. John McLeister has been appointed Managing Director of Sales for the UK and Ireland.
Joining Wrightbus at just 16 as an apprentice, John marks 36 years with the company, reflecting its long-standing culture of developing talent from within. He said: "A standout feature of this sales team is the depth of experience within Wrightbus - not just across the wider bus industry but, crucially, more than 200 years years spent working here in Ballymena. "I'm extremely proud to lead this group of people who have stood front and centre through both the most challenging periods and the most transformative years in Wrightbus history."
Phil Owen, who joined in 2023 after a 28-year career with Volvo, has been appointed Sales Director, while additional senior promotions and appointments across the UK include Gary Kernohan, Group Commercial Director; Chris Martin, Head of Business Development UK: Dave Porter, Head of Coach Sales; Steve Jackson, Mick Campbell, Hazel Marshall and Mark Baker, together with Ciaran McCarthy in Ireland. Speaking about his new role, Mr McLeister said: "My job is to strengthen the partnerships we have - not only with customers but across the wider bus industry. Competition from abroad is increasing, and we must keep promoting the message that UK-built buses deliver enormous value, not only for operators but for local economies.
"This team has been, and continues to be, the voice of the customer, ensuring that frontline experience directly influences engineering, manufacturing and after-sales strategies." While Wrightbus leads the market in bus manufacturing, after-sales support and repowering, it also sits within the broader HydraB Group, which delivers depot charging, alternative energy solutions and financing options. Reflecting a continuing focus on quality, Lee Fox joins as Managing Director Refurbishment, with Mark Gilfeather appointed Service Director for Regional Operations.
At the Ballymena headquarters, David Murdoch becomes Group Quality Director. New CEO Axel J. Maschka, who took over on December 1, said the promotions represent a deliberate step in elevating Wrightbus' product excellence and service capability:
"Wrightbus has grown significantly in recent years. While we take pride in how far we've come, we must now shift up another gear if we are serious about scaling further," he explained. "The experience inside this organisation, especially among teams who have stayed loyal through thick and thin, is one of our greatest strengths.
Our commitment to learning, improving and pushing for excellence across the entire group has never been stronger."
The restructure follows the high-profile 2025 appointments of Christian Reynolds as Wrightbus COO and Paul Thomas as CTO
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