09/12/2016 - Lucketts gears up for growth with key appointment
Tony Lawman appointed Managing Director
Lucketts, one of the country’s leading coach travel firms, is gearing up for growth with the appointment of a new managing director to spearhead the company’s next phase of expansion.
Tony Lawman joined the south coast based company earlier this year as finance director with a view to taking the helm of Lucketts which celebrated 90 years in business in 2016.
His experience includes 23 years in the army working in logistics and transport. He also worked in finance and is a chartered management accountant and has worked for companies including Pitney Bowes and the Langmead Group in West Sussex.
Owners Ian Luckett and Steve Luckett will still play an active role in the company but feel that now is the right time to bring in Tony to guide the firm through its next growth phase.
“We have built an incredibly strong business in the south in recent years and we now have the right team in place to look at further growth both in the south and further afield,” said Ian who is due to become president of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK in January.
“We will still be very closely involved in the business while Tony’s expertise will be vital in identifying new opportunities for us.”
Ian said the appointment is well timed at the end of its 90th year celebrations and as he takes over the CPT presidency. “I’m very keen to play an active role as president of the CPT to benefit all operators and Tony taking the helm now means I have a great opportunity to be the voice of the bus and coach industry.”
Tony said the role of managing director at Lucketts provides him with a great opportunity to build on the firm foundations built by the Lucketts family in the last 90 years.
“I’m thrilled to be taking over as managing director at such an exciting time for the firm. The family’s plans to keep growing gives me the perfect opportunity to match my operations expertise with their experience of the coach industry to build a stronger company for the future,’’ he said.
Lucketts currently employs more than 320 people and has almost 130 vehicles, ranging from six seater chauffeur driven cars to 63 seater luxury coaches, in its ever-growing fleet.
It works with some of the biggest names in business and tourism, counting global financial institutions and government departments among its clients. In addition to the Lucketts coaches it owns two other brands – Coliseum Coaches and Worthing Coaches – and also runs more than 100 journeys each day for National Express.