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Chris is responsible for all legal and commercial services across the group. He has direct responsibility for the UK-based legal team and external lawyers and indirectly oversees the internal lawyers in countries where Arriva has a major presence.

Working closely with businesses across Europe at early transactional stages, Chris and his team liaise with internal and external lawyers and other group functions to ensure that there is a broad knowledge base of business law and legal issues in each jurisdiction and the transaction is structured from the most efficient aspect. All major legal and commercial services agreements - including large-value contracts, asset purchases and tenders &ndash are approved by Chris and his team in conjunction with internal or external lawyers.

Chris, who has been with Arriva for 20 years, began his legal career as an advocate in England's High Court. He moved into industry after five years, working for international engineering groups, the last of which was a high-tech business focusing on nuclear power generation and specialist fabrication.

Chris says: "The legal team's role is complementary to operational input: we're involved at very early stages as we can provide proactive contribution towards resolving commercial issues. One of our major challenges is ensuring that we have a clear understanding of the differing legal systems relating to business law, and we do this through our internal colleagues and buy-in of external legal expertise. We work closely with colleagues in finance and taxation, and each of the businesses, to ensure we provide the right advice and support at the right time."

Mark started his career in the transport industry in 1978 and joined Arriva through the acquisition of British Bus plc in 1996.

He has worked in many of the Arriva companies and divisions throughout the UK and mainland Europe and was part of the original development team delivering the group's European expansion.

Mark now heads up the team which sets and monitors the fleet safety standards, manages the fleet procurement and other groupwide contracts, and provides engineering and operational support for the acquisition and integration of new businesses.

He is also responsible for the development of new technology to help improve safety, reduce environmental burden and improve Arriva's financial and operational performance.

Mark says: "I enjoy the variety of work and challenges that a leading transport company faces and making a positive contribution to our success. Innovation and change for the better is our way of life."

Simon joined Arriva in 2006 after working for BT as director of strategic communications. He started his career as a national magazine journalist, entering public relations in 1987 when he joined the financial services sector. He has also worked in issues management consultancy in the gas and supermarket industries.

Simon leads the group's corporate communications department and drives forward the group's communications strategy, including the areas of investor relations, public affairs, media relations and CSR. In addition to working for Arriva, Simon teaches occasional communications-related courses at London Business School.

He said: "Passenger transport is a topic of ever-increasing public interest and debate. Growing environmental concerns are putting people's ever-greater need for sustainable travel under the spotlight. Arriva's contribution to the debate depends on clear and effective communication of our expertise and unrivalled breadth of experience of helping people travel in many different markets across Europe."

Mike took a different transport journey when he left easyJet to join Arriva's regional bus division as managing director in 2005. As easyJet commercial director, he had played a key role in the business's development after working in the travel industry in various senior management roles.

Mike is responsible for the financial and operational performance of Arriva's UK Bus regional businesses. That's some 4,800 vehicles operating in major urban areas, delivering commercial and contracted services. He has an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management.

Mike said: "Bus businesses need to embrace change, moving with peoples' changing needs and desires. Where we're innovative and imaginative, we capture peoples' attention. That's what encourages people to think about giving buses a try."

David graduated in civil engineering from Birmingham University in 1987. He joined Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young) in 1987 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991. He then moved to Paris to work for Schlumberger, working on acquisitions in Europe / Pacific Rim for three years, returning to the UK with Schlumberger in 1994 as financial director of a newly acquired service business.

In 1997 he joined the bus industry as financial director of a 1,000 bus operator in Liverpool. He joined Arriva in 2000, initially as finance director of the group's mainland European operations working alongside the managing director on growth strategy.

He was part of the team that developed Arriva's acquisitive and organic growth in the following years working with operations. In 2006 David progressed to the role of managing director Southern Europe, covering operations in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

David says: "The European transport market is providing excellent growth opportunities for Arriva. Being part of that development is tremendously exciting and there is plenty more to come.

"One of the most interesting elements of the job is working with, and supporting, local management teams in each of our operational areas. We work well together, with a common understanding and the sharing of ideas for winning and innovative solutions.

"As we grow, we retain and value talent, knowledge and experience in the businesses we acquire or win through contracts. This successful approach means that we keep hold of local expertise."

In 1992 Johnny was given the responsibility of preparing the state-owned operations of the Copenhagen Public Transportation Authority for privatisation. In 1999 the operations became the first part of Arriva's European expansion, and Johnny was appointed as managing director of Arriva in Scandinavia.

Since then Arriva Scandinavia has tripled its size now, being by far the largest bus operator in Denmark and a significant operator in Sweden. Arriva also runs trains in Denmark, and will begin to run trains in Sweden in June this year, and operates small ferries around the new Copenhagen Opera house.

Johnny says: "We continually demonstrate how we understand transport markets, and how authorities can utilise that expertise when going through the process of liberalisation.

"Being part of Arriva's amazing development makes 15 years in the business feel like we've just started this exciting journey."

Anne joined Arriva in 2000 after working as finance director for businesses including Ballast Nedam Beton en Waterbouw (a construction company). Prior to that, he had worked in the building industry as a project manager.

Anne, a qualified chartered accountant, worked in senior management roles at Arriva Netherlands from 2000 to 2006, when he was appointed managing director of the business.

In the Netherlands Arriva is a major bus operator and has significant rail operations in the north. Anne leads a team focused on continuous improvement, and recognises the importance of striving, and attaining, top quality standards, particularly in health and safety, and customer services.

Anne says: "We focus on quality. Being a quality operator will help us to achieve our aim of having a 35 per cent share of the total commercially addressable Dutch public transport market.

"With good, clean and punctual public transport, we are laying the foundations for further growth in the Netherlands."

Martin heads up the group's financial division, including financial reporting and treasury operations. At group level, he holds key relationships with major banks and acts as a facilitator for Arriva’s businesses. He works to take advantage of synergy benefits through financing including, for instance, fuel hedging and the financing of rolling stock.

His responsibility for financial reporting includes strategic planning and year ends, liaising with finance directors in all Arriva businesses in financial and treasury matters and ensuring that all businesses are compliant with accountancy and treasury policies. He is responsible for ensuring that funding is available to meet Arriva's growth requirements, including acquisitions and tenders, and for managing Arriva's exposure to foreign currency fluctuations.

Martin joined Arriva from Yorkshire Electricity Group plc where he was group financial controller, and formerly head of internal audit. Before that he worked at accountancy firms Robson Rhodes, and Deloitte and Touche.

Martin says: "Arriva's growth is presenting an increasing number of financing opportunities, from which our businesses and the group overall can benefit. As we enter new markets and grow in existing ones, we enter new or larger investment ground, meaning that a wider variety of banks and financing products are available to us. This, together with the strength of the group's balance sheet, gives us more choice and favourability and means we can finance business at the most competitive cost."

Bob was appointed managing director - UK Trains in September 2007 and has overall accountability for all of Arriva's UK rail operations, with the existing Arriva Trains Wales franchise and the new CrossCountry franchise (starting November 2007) reporting into him.

Bob has more than 30 years' experience in the bus and rail industries including six years developing Arriva's mainland European operations, overseeing our rail business in the Netherlands, setting up Arriva's rail operations in Denmark and overseeing our Arriva Trains Wales business.

Under his leadership ATW has achieved record punctuality and reliability for the franchise and developed a successful working relationship with the Welsh Assembly Government, which has devolved responsibility for rail services in Wales.

Bob says: "I've been involved in a number of transport markets, and each has a different way of working. And really, that's where Arriva's experience and approach pays off. We know our business well and we know that our partners across our different operations are integral to its success.

"Arriva's UK rail business has grown dramatically following winning the CrossCountry rail franchise, which complements our established Arriva Trains Wales operations. From our customers' perspective, we know they want trains to run on time and continuous improvement. That's exactly what we're focusing on across our businesses, and our experience in managing and improving the operational effectiveness of a business is helping us to make it a success."

David joined Arriva to set up the group's in-house tax facility in 1997. He had qualified as a chartered accountant in 1989, and previously worked in professional practice in both audit and tax capacities.

David and his team focus on the provision of tax compliance and planning services, ensuring compliance with legal obligations and generally managing the effective rate of tax across the group. He is closely involved in all transaction activity including acquisitions, disposals, reorganisations and financing and re-financing opportunities. He ensures that the group operates in a particularly tax-efficient manner and through this focus, contributes to the overall financial performance of each of our businesses.

David says: "Tax impacts on all transactions entered into by our businesses wherever they operate; it represents one of our largest costs and like any other cost it needs to be carefully managed.

"Arriva's expansion across Europe is providing us with many opportunities to work alongside local businesses and to identify situations where additional value can be added through improved tax efficiency."

Piers joined Arriva in 2003 after working for First Group as divisional director South and Wales. His career in transport began in 1978, working in different senior management roles across the UK, and latterly having responsibility for all elements of financial and operating performance in six companies.

He is now responsible for Arriva's bus and rail operations in the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic and Poland and is focused on identifying opportunities for further growth.

Arriva already has a strong presence in the Netherlands and Germany, and awarded contracts will increase this presence further this year. The group entered the Czech bus market in late 2006 and in 2007 began to operate a new rail contract in north-west Poland.

Piers said: "Transport markets in Mainland Europe are mostly operated under contracted transport systems which provide very different challenges. Arriva has a strong track record of quality delivery and innovation in a variety of these markets and this provides a real success story when we are seeking to enter a new area.

"Our approach of having local teams delivering local solutions, and working closely with clients to bring something new to a region, is helping to convince authorities across Europe that Arriva's expertise is a valuable asset to have on board."

Leading Arriva’s strategic HR, Alison joined Arriva in 2001, working closely with Arriva’s businesses to develop strategic HR initiatives and approaches.

After graduating from the University of York, Alison studied full-time for membership of the IPD before she started her career in HR in food retailing. She spent 15 years with The Boots Company in a variety of HR and change management roles across its retailing and manufacturing businesses and central functions.

Arriva has more than 38,000 employees across the group, working in a huge range of roles from driving and engineering, professional and admin to leadership and management. Alison and her team focus on remuneration and benefits, diversity, leadership, safety and environment, management development, e-learning, employee feedback, graduate selection and development and developing Arriva’s employment framework and brand.

A range of initiatives has been introduced by the HR team including the award winning CBI Human Capital Awards ‘Innovative ways of working’ category for the approach we use to promote diversity through theatre workshops.

Alison says: "Our employees are the life-blood of our business. They are the people who meet our customers every day, whether on a bus or train, or working with tendering authorities and local and national governments.

"Providing opportunities for development, being an employer that people choose to work for, and retaining quality people is vital to our business. To stand out we have to be innovative and people-focused, and that’s how we’re taking a leading role in the transport industry."

David joined the business in 1989 as company secretary. After graduating from Cardiff University, he worked in the gas and cement industries before joining Arriva.

David is responsible for Board administration matters, corporate governance, insurance and pensions matters, and compliance with particular reference to the company's share listing, company law and competition legislation; he also sits on the board of the company's captive insurance company.

David says: "It is vital for any business to ensure that it operates within the regulatory guidelines. The Companies Act 2006 has established a new regime which must be progressively adopted by companies over the next two years and that is clearly a challenge for any company secretarial department."

As managing director of one of London's largest bus operators, Mark is responsible for more than 330 million passenger journeys a year on 1,500 of the capital's red buses. He also has overall responsibility for Arriva's open top sightseeing tour business – The Original Tour, the biggest in London.

Mark started his career in the bus industry in 1979 as a graduate trainee, working through the ranks as a garage operating manager, area traffic manager and operations manager. He joined Leaside Buses (which became part of Arriva in 1994) in 1989 as commercial director. He was appointed managing director of Arriva's entire London operations in 1998.

In London, all bus routes, timetables, fares and vehicle types are operated to specifications set by the tendering authority Transport for London (TfL). Mark and his team work closely with TfL, and regularly deliver improved operational performance surpassing set standards.

Mark says: "The London bus market is one of the most exciting and vibrant in the world. We provide nearly 20 per cent of London's bus services and our vehicles travel some 60 million miles every year. It's a complex network and we operate in challenging conditions, but we've a great team – that's what makes it work so well."