LONDON: Trainline plc,a one‐stop shop for rail and coach travel, announced that Chief Operating Officer Jody Ford will assume the office of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as Clare Gilmartin will be stepping down as CEO and a Board Member at the end of February 2021.

Clare will remain involved in the business thereafter as a Senior Advisor, supporting the management team and Trainline’s wider industry partners in continuing to drive industry digitisation and long-term growth.

Clare will be succeeded by Chief Operating Officer Jody Ford.  Jody previously held the role of Chief Executive Officer at Photobox Group, encompassing the Moonpig and Photobox brands, and led global growth at eBay Inc.

Clare Gilmartin, CEO, said: “The decision to step down next year is a personal one; after seven years at the helm the time has come for me to spend more time with my family.  I am immensely proud of our progress over the last several years – including driving the advancement of digital ticketing and the customer shift online, our international expansion and our track record for meeting and exceeding expectations, particularly in our first year as a public company.  I work alongside an amazing team, who I know will continue this strong performance, innovating for customers and driving growth for the industry.”

Brian McBride, Chair of Trainline, said: “I would like to thank Clare for her outstanding leadership during her time as our CEO.   During her tenure, she has led the business through a period of rapid growth and expansion across Europe and steered the company through a successful IPO.  I am very pleased she will continue to bring her extensive knowledge and industry experience to Trainline in her role as a Senior Advisor.

“I am delighted to welcome Jody into his role as Chief Executive.  Since he joined, I have been impressed by his clear leadership and his focus on improving customer experience to deliver performance.  I am looking forward to continuing to work with Jody and the team to achieve our long-term growth plan.”

Jody Ford, COO, said: “I joined Trainline because I believe it is a tech innovator with huge growth potential and a purpose that is central to its business: to encourage greener travel choices.  I am very much looking forward to bringing my digital experience to bear as CEO and continuing Trainline’s focus on working with the rail and coach industry to make travel as easy and friction-free as possible for millions of customers in Europe and beyond.”

Trainline is the leading independent rail and coach travel platform selling rail and coach tickets to millions of travellers worldwide, enabling them to seamlessly search, book and manage their journeys all in one place via its highly rated website and mobile app. Trainline is a one‐stop shop for rail and coach travel bringing together millions of routes, fares and journey times from more than 270 rail and coach carriers across 45 countries. (www.trainline.com)