Two Honorary for 2022
Honorands - Four welcome the two
2022 Hon fellows Andy Byford & Loveday Ryder - IOC Hon fellows present to welcome the new included, Transport Commissioner Sarah Bell, Former TFL commissioner Mike Brown, Peter John CBE, Vice Chancellor UWL, Former head of surface transport Leon Daniels.
TfL Commissioner Andy Byford
Andy Byford, University of Leicester graduate whose thirty-year career has spanned three continents. Andy joined London Underground in 1989 as a uniformed Station Foreman before working his way up to General Manager of the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Lines. After a spell as Operations and Safety Director of two mainline train operating companies, Andy’s career took him to Sydney as Chief Operating Officer of Australia’s largest railway network then on to Canada where he headed up the Toronto Transit Commission. Most recently, Andy served as President of New York City Transit, the busiest and largest transit system in North America. Andy returned to Transport for London in June 2020 as Commissioner following in Mike Brown’s shoes. Taking the reins at the moment of a pandemic, Andy says: "In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, all transport authorities around the world will need to reimagine how their services and projects contribute to the safe and sustainable re-start of the social and economic lives of the cities they serve," and serve the transport industry he does.
From 25 million packages delivered in 2019 to 60 million packages in 2021, the scaling up of the courier industry has been remarkable especially against the backdrop of a global pandemic. TfL is redoubling its efforts to regenerate London’s transport links, including the new Elizabeth line, which will only enable couriers to deliver even more parcels across the city. I am very privileged to join this institute as an honorary fellow, following the footsteps of my predecessors Mike Brown and Peter Hendy.
DVSA CEO Loveday Ryder
Loveday Ryder became the Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in January 2021. Before joining DVSA, she was Chief Executive of BPDTS, a digital service on behalf of Department for Work and Pensions. Prior to that, in the Ministry of Justice, where she successfully served in a number of senior roles in organisation design, change management and programme delivery. Loveday having worked within a specialist management consultancy delivering business change, performance improvement, and IT programmes in both the public and private sector, is a highly experienced person who through an engineering background is focused on excellence in delivery for service users.
It's a great honour, as I look around the room, I see so many significant figures from the transport industry to celebrate the industry in all its brightness. The whole industry has shown so much resilience not just to carry on during the pandemic but to build back a better environment for the sector which paves the way for the future. I am so excited to link the DVSA with the IoC to learn together and face future challenges and I look forward to a long and productive association between the two.
Services to industry – Best kept secret
Trevor Hoyle FedEx - Only the tenth ever.
Trevor Hoyle, 15 years ago attended here and was gowned fellow of the IOC. And today we are here to bestow the highest accolade of the Last Mile Express sector the Services to Industry Award
Trevor is only the tenth person to receive this honour, signified by the placement of her Majesty’s gold broderie, the very same of the Queen’s royal robe, on the front of the hood.
Trevor Hoyle, starting out as an apprentice and is now a Senior Vice President for FedEx. He is an accomplished leader who believes in caring, learning and good communication as the success of a team. Trevor is deeply committed to investing in development of all team members, and as his own recent achievement, a Masters from Warwick Business School shows, he practises what he preaches.
Trevor is always at the front line, communicating whether it is on social media or in person, when Bravo Zulu awards within FedEx are given, Trevor is always the first to congratulate the winner. Someone who gives whenever and wherever they can, whether it is from couch potato to London marathon to the daredevil Wing Walk, Trevor does it in aid of others. Both professionally and personally Trevor is dedicated to what he does. Having joined last mile express industry in 1995 his dedication to empowering, engaging and promoting inclusion has been at the core of his vision.
Daren Blackwell - Yodel ‘member of the IOC security group’
Daren brings the security to our industry, in his role he has raised the understanding and effectiveness of security awareness for employees and service partners alike. Starting his working life as a member of the Military Police ‘a red top’ he moved very smoothly from military to civilian roles in the nineties. Starting with DHL South Africa, with further posts in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Leaving Brussels behind to work in the UK as VP head of regional, moving onto national security for DHL. Daren made the change from yellow to orange and joined TNT/FedEx as Global security manager, following which he took the current role as Director of Security at Yodel. More importantly to us, Daren is part of the IOC security group who successfully managed to get the police to register parcel theft as its own crime reference. This is crucial to the recognition of support for last mile express delivery.
Sam Bossino, On it Logistics
Sam is a driven dedicated manager, his passion is the delivery of excellence and success is measured when others achieve excellence. Starting life at Target Worldwide Express in the nineties within operational management he moved onto Bioquell and Welcome before taking up a role as Service Centre Manager. Sam spent nine years working within CitySprint as Regional support manger but very quickly moved into the role of national continuous Improvement manager. This role highlights his attitude to our profession, he dedication of others continuous improvement. He then took the plunge and two years ago he started Onit Logistics with colleagues, that are also here tonight. Sam just continues to give excellence and passion to our sector.
Mark Bridges CitySprint ‘From VF800 to head of operational projects’
Mark began in orange, he started his career in 1993 with TNT Sameday as a driver’s mate, working up to General Manager over a nine-year period. Operational roles followed with Swift Fulfilment before applying his mindset to Royal Mail as their New Business Development Manager. Well red didn’t suit Mark and he went to blue and joined Citysprint as a Senior Project Manager. He had found his groove, like riding his beloved VFR 800 interceptor motorbike around the Isle of Man course, he took many turns and straights along the CitySprint journey. Head of Operational projects, Head of Courier Development and Courier Experience gave him a photo finish in the role of Regional Manager.
Mark doesn’t even take his eye of the ball because he is also a qualified L1 Rugby Coach.
Reece Cherry Yodel
Reece plays the important role of Health and Safety, Environment and Quality control within Yodel. A lifetime of dedication to the support work that keeps our sector safe as well as looking to improving how we do things. His versatile approach to engage others into the subject makes him the good leader he is. Reece has played his part in the responsibility of compliance, training strategy planning and for all legal compliance, of fleets, workers, employees and service partners. Having previously spent a number of years in the Netherlands with EMEA group, Reece is Health & Saftey through and through which means, our drivers can go about their work, happy in the knowledge that the risk assessment was done.
Ed Clarke FedEx
Ed Clarke FedEX. ‘I love a good spreadsheet and that’s exactly what I got when I asked Ed for a summary. Ed started his working life in a Disney Store, then he tried food – Sainsbury’s but destiny was to be parcel. Taking the role of Operations Manager in the late nineties Ed has held 10 different job roles within FedEx. Ops to District to Managing Director, onto MD Ground operations, MD Linehaul, MD Hub operations and MD UK and Nordics Road Network. Continual improvement and a passion for learning. Qualifications and training courses have been part of his everyday life. Currently he holds the responsibility of VP UK Ground Operations which enables him to ensure the right people with the right skill sets are positioned to leverage the best performance for company and sector.
Darryl Claypole CCD
Darryl has a desire to promote ethical strong and positive distribution messages, and he does. Starting his working career as a professional footballer – Swindon Town – after a good seven year run, he changed careers and joined Tesco. As a Sales manager he worked with Gillete Industries, UK sales director for Paramount / Universal films and Mediaport. Van fleets delivering films brought Darryl to CitySprint in 2006, from courier to independent owner of City Direct Couriers Darryl winner of an Ambassadors Award from the IOC has an infectious passion that promotes a positive ethical delivery message. Whether your local team needs a good FA Coach or your company needs a solution to parcel deliveries, Darryl is in the game to succeed.
Stuart Coutts Onit Logistics
Stuart started his career in a yellow jacket, with DHL. This career spanned over 21 years, of which having held many roles the last and longest was as National Business Development Manager. This period most people would call it - a life time career in itself but, Stuart was not done only needing a change, he joined CitySprint and continued in Business development. Healthcare parcel delivery became a greater interest and having spent five years at CitySprint he along with colleagues became a founder of Onit Logistics.
Olly Craughan Dpd Group
Olly started his career in the nineties in red, that red being Royal Mail, responsibility for managing teams of 185 is no small task. Olly moved from Royal Mail to Ontex and then from red to orange. Taking up the role of Operations Control team manager at TNT post. Cost control, profitability modelling, control processes and forecast strategy planning was all part of the job. However, he obviously likes the colour red as he then moved on to Dpd Group.
For the last ten years, from general manager to head of Corporate Social Responsibility to Head of Sustainability, Olly has been leading the way, electrifying you might say. An individual who aspires to make a difference.
Michael Crosby Rico Logistics
Michael started his career with the Signal Corp after which he joined Perrys Ltd in the shipping and dispatching department moving onto Carpet Express, again in charge of transport and distribution. The retail sector was cutting for him as he was travelling at the speed of sound and so entered the parcel industry in the late nineties joining Concorde Logistics as General Manager. Seven years holding responsibility for Network Service performance, Michael felt the itch and moved to his current role with Rico Logistics. Michael has been a shining light as Head of Night time services for the last ten years responsible for developing service strategies and solution services design for the last mile B2B.
James Curness-Blane, Hermes
James serves our sector with the passion of Wimbledon. Starting his career as a tennis coach, he moved into the service industry of food distribution. Aldi nurtured and coached James in all thing’s delivery. He went from Area Manager to Regional Project Manager to Global Business Co-ordination Manager working in Germany. Throughout this journey James has played a leading role in driving performance and standards across multiple underperforming branches of the company. His ace came when he moved to Hermes as Divisional Manager and parcels became his tennis ball. Optimising each and every delivery, he inspires his team, regional and field managers and the couriers to delivery that ace, a quality performance on the line everytime.
Stuart Dawson Hermes
At the young age of 21, Stuart worked started work with UK Mail, learning on the job he grew to become a site manager, running his own new set up site in Middleton Manchester. Fast forward six years and Stuart took on a new challenge and moved over to Hermes as Divisional Manager. Stuart joined at a time of a fast-growing courier network. Making a success of this role, with a clear dedication and passion for service standards and efficiency, Stuart created and headed up the final mile performance team. It wasn’t long before Stuart was asked to lead the 20,000 strong courier team and took on the national role as Head of courier operations. Stuart has recently taken on a new role responsible for Delivery Unit Operations and estates.
Brian DeCair FedEX
It’s not often we ship our Fellows’ in but we are pleased to welcome Brian DeCair, originally from America Brian started out brown – UPS of course, in the eighties as a Depot Manager. Learning the ropes, he moved up to Regional Manager spending 20 years with UPS and proud to be brown. However, the glow of purple light - FedEx – shone brightly and in 2007 Brian made his move. From Director of FedEx Ground, to Vice President Operations of FedEx Smartpost to Regional VP of FedEx Ground he has delivered, critically, precisely and efficiently all over America. Currently, since 2021 Brian came to the UK as VP Ground Operations Northern UK, Scotland and Ireland.
Keith Doe, Addison Lee
Keith’s career was on an atmospheric trajectory, an aerospace engineering degree didn’t go to launch but instead exploded with TNT. Starting as graduate manager, account manager and Hub manager Keith was enjoying parcel delivery. His career choices soared as Head of Operations and HR with eCourier, onto TNT and Shutl taking responsibility for European Operations. Keith continued to move to new challenges, holding posts at the Remark Group and Karhoo and setting up Proxi, a shoppers fulfilment delivery service before recently taking the role of Head of Couriers at Addison Lee.
Rod Drummond Smiths News
Rod started his career as a customer sales representative and for the last twenty-one years has held various roles for Smiths News. The nightly miracle of delivering the news every day. It is never too late to learn, and Rod is currently in his third year of a business management degree. Rods key skills have brought together centralised customer service teams, developed cultural awareness strategy following acquisitions of Dawson news and has integrated a contractor model of all vehicles to make efficiencies of fleet. Delivery to the door, every nights lies with Rods responsibility as Regional Director, North and Central Services.
Clive Element Smiths News
Clive started his career in his own local town of Watford with WH Smiths on the 3rd August 1983. This means that come August this year he will have completed thirty-nine years’ of service. Having delivered thirty-nine years of service brings some outstanding achievements along the way, delivering for the London, Thames Valley and the South East areas. Clive currently is the Southern Region Director looking after fifteen business units. His love of delivery may have been ignited by the love of his cycling.
Paul Graham Yodel
Paul started his career behind the wheel and soon moved up to Supervisor and then Operations Manager. What colour – brown – UPS by the nineties Paul was a Senior Operations Manager and oversaw the integration with Lynx into the UPS structure. After twenty years Paul saw a new challenge and took on Senior Operations Manager for Trans-axion. Responsible for P&L and new business Paul enjoyed recruiting staff and providing them with the tools to be effective in their new role. A move to the light green – Yodel – joining in 2013 saw the rise from Service centre manager, regional manager to Network Operations Manager. Ten years on Paul is the Network Director for Yodel.
Martin Hargreaves - Rico Logistics
Martin has worked in the industry for the last 31 years starting out with Bass Brewers in the Midlands and the North of England, moving into the Stationery supply business, heading up distribution and transferring to a in house delivery operation. Martin then applied for the transport manager role at ANC Express Parcels only to come out of the interview with MD of corporate depots. This became a Regional Operations manager role before fulfilling the next 16 years in different permutations as FedEx moved away from the ANC. 16 years to the very date later becoming the transport manager for FedEx and held the role for next 4 years. Leaving FedEx to join Tuffnells as a Regional Operations Director looking after their national trunking operation along with transport compliance, this soon developed into another opportunity which took him to Director of Operations for Rico Logistics. Martin with his partner Karen have two children, neither have followed him into the logistics sector. Well tonight might just change their idea of what a wonderful career last mile express delivery really is.
Paul Latham - Smiths News
Paul knew his destiny was with delivery, the A level Geography was a clue. Starting out as a circulation manager he moved up to Area Distribution Manager. Overseeing both Smiths News and Tuffnells Parcel Express operations he deliver several change programs. Staying with Smiths News Paul moved from regional Director to his current role as Logistics Director. With over 25 years’ experience in last mile delivery, Paul recognises that it is the importance of talent development, throughout all levels of the organisation that effectively delivers, every day.
Chris Meir - DPD
Chris shot into his career as a graduate at White Arrow (now Yodel), the colour soon changed when he saw red and went to work with Dpd in 2002. General manager of Dartford/Enfield area he led Dartford to achieving best depot of the year in succession. Moving quickly in to the role of National Operations Manager and then Regional Manager South. Pioneering new delivery platforms which resulted in productivity increases across the whole network and the successful recruitment and opening of ten new sites, saw Chris take on Associate Director of Networks and led to his current role as Director of UK Operations.
Simi Punn – Rico Logistics
One job one career one company. Only 20 years ago Simi joined Ricochet Couriers, now known as Rico Logistics, as a telephonist. Just two years later she was offered the chance to head up the National Control Centre. As Rico moved from regional to national this role was pivotal to a seamless ‘one stop shop’. Following this Simi took on various roles, each one and each time helping to grow the Courier Services business. Account manager to Sameday Commercial Manager. Simi spent time in India specialising with the implementation of rolling out services across the country for a major customer. In 2019 Simi accepted the role of Courier Services Director, enjoying the job as much as the first day and as every day is different.
Gary Robinson - Hermes
Gary became fellow in 2018 and we are delighted to be able to gown him tonight. Since the nineties Gary has had last mile express deliver in his blood, starting with N Brown Group in Manchester for Home Shopping Direct, moving into post, that’s TNT Post, as Head of Home Delivery in 2006. Gary enjoyed a brief visit to Shanghai City, China for TNT as their Network Development Director before returning to the UK as the Whistl brand was launched. Gary developed the Whistl final mile proposition as Director of End to End operations. 36 depots of posties on pushbikes in the streets of London, Manchester and Liverpool.
The lights changed from orange to blue in 2015 as Gary moved to Hermes to head up final mile strategy, a short time later taking on more operational duties of final mile recruitment, training, and central support services. Gary is now Director for operations development and support.
Rick Southwood - Yodel
Ricky has graduated through rank and file within the industry, having first started in the post office. The early years spent with White Arrow Express, TNT then Business Express, Reality, HDNL and then DHL. Throughout his career Ricky has held multiple roles and worked in almost all areas of the industry. Including driving, operations, central ops and support services, driving him to the senior board where he is today as Director of Operational Services at Yodel. ‘I am a servant to and a practitioner of the logistics industry.’
Brian Trower - Hermes
Brian is Blue, through and through, Yes, he is from Scotland but also his parcel career began at 21, choosing to defer his university studies in law he become an owner driver with Yodel. Very soon he extended his operation as a service partner operating 10 vans. This started his journey with Yodel as Field Manager in Glasgow in 2015 and a year later he was promoted to Regional Manager leading a team of 500 couriers. ‘Click and knock’ five years on and Brian’s expertise at developing people and creating high performing teams has earnt him various promotions leading to a national roles. From Network Compliance Manager to his current position as Principal of Operational Performance where he leads the performance strategy across the entire Hermes operation from hub, through depots and the final mile.
Natalie Wainwright - Diamond
Natalie came into last mile express late in her career but was drawn to it from the very start. Customer Services, Warehouse and Distribution Manager posts within Dixons was the seed of parcel delivery. Natalie drew closer with her next career move at Northgate Vehicle Hire and through the next four years, as UK Transformational Change manager she developed agreed initiatives that positively impacted on the customer experience, a precursor for last mile express delivery.
In 2019 Natalie joined Diamond Logistics as Head of Operations and very soon saw herself nurturing Homes Service Centres and Network Partners, supporting them to attain future success in the role of Director of Operations. Now as Group Operations Director she leads with the vision and strategy for a Diamond Delivery.
Ben Weldon – HBC Logistics
Early career choices for Ben started with the RAF – supplier, Paints – driver, UK Assistance – Parts technician but did not fulfil his ambitions and that’s when he got the bug or should I say – the delivery. Fastaway Couriers from Liverpool driver to UK Franchise Development Manger saw Ben move to UPS. A pathway of successful deliveries saw Ben achieve new business targets as Account Executive, taking responsibility for a team as Area Sales Manager for Northampton then London before taking on the challenges as UK District Sales Operations Manager. This experience led Ben to take a leap of faith, in 2017 and become founder of his own business, HBC Logistics.