Serco announced that CEO Rupert Soames will retire from the company in September 2023, and he’ll be succeeded by Mark Irwin, who’s currently the CEO of Serco’s U.K. and Europe Division.
By the time Soames retires, he will have served Serco for over nine years.
“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead Serco in the next stage of its development as one of the world’s leading providers of public services,” Irwin said.
Irwin joined Serco in 2013, and between 2014 and 2020 successfully ran Serco’s Asia-Pacific region, before moving from Australia to lead the U.K. and Europe Division. Prior to Serco, Irwin held leadership roles in several private-equity portfolio businesses in the U.S. and China, and also worked for eight years for GE in the U.S. and Australia.
“Mark’s deep knowledge of Serco in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific, as well as his prior experience working in the U.S. and the tremendous results he has delivered for us in all his roles, make him the ideal person to lead the Group through its next phase of growth,” said Serco Chair John Rishton.
Soames will step down both from his role as chief executive and from the board at the end of December, and will remain as an adviser until his retirement.
“My respect and admiration for the wonderful team of people at Serco, who work so hard to deliver superb public services and value for money for taxpayers, is unbounded,” he said.