FirstGroup plc announces that Matthew Gregory will be appointed to the Board as Chief Financial Officer with effect from 1 December 2015. 

Matthew joins from FTSE 250 constituent Essentra plc, a leading global provider of essential components and solutions. He joined Essentra in 2003 and was appointed Group Finance Director in 2012. Prior to that he performed a number of senior roles including Corporate Development Director with responsibility for group strategy, planning and business development, and Finance Director in a number of its businesses. Matthew has been a key part of the management team that has delivered substantial increases in revenue, profit and shareholder value. 

Commenting, FirstGroup Chief Executive Tim O'Toole said: 'I am delighted to welcome Matthew to FirstGroup as Chief Financial Officer; he is highly experienced and has a strong track record of value creation. We look forward to benefiting from his financial, strategic and organisational expertise and international experience. I am confident Matthew will make a significant contribution to the team as we continue to convert the Group’s considerable potential into sustainable value creation.' 

Commenting, Matthew Gregory said: 'This is a very exciting time to be joining FirstGroup. Its market leading businesses have significant opportunities and I look forward to working with Tim and the team to build on the solid foundations already in place and deliver sustainable growth with good financial returns.'