Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) partnership board has appointed Valerie Davidson as the new chief executive of the organisation.  Mrs Davidson will take up the post with immediate effect.

The appointment follows a national competitive process led by a cross-party, recruitment panel appointed by the SPT partnership. 

Mrs Davidson has been SPT assistant chief executive since 2006, with a wide range of responsibilities including as chief finance officer and partnership secretary. She provides overall leadership of the bus operations subsidised network and MyBus services over 12 local authority areas and leads on all corporate functions including HR, property, legal and oversees the digital transformation of SPT.

A qualified accountant, Valerie has worked in both public and professional services for 34 years, half of which has been with SPT in its current and previous forms.

SPT chair, Councillor Dr Martin Bartos said: "Valerie’s leadership skills, knowledge and experience of the transport sector in Scotland as well as of SPT means, she is the ideal choice to lead the organisation as we move forward with ambitious plans for transport in the region.

“Throughout the pandemic, Valerie has been at the forefront of business continuity for SPT working with our many partners and stakeholders to keep transport going at this most challenging time – all while ensuring staff have been kept updated as to how SPT is working to keep them and our passengers safe.”

Mrs Davidson said: "I am delighted to be appointed as chief executive and look forward to working with my SPT colleagues, our partnership, and also our many partners and stakeholders as we, hopefully, move into a recovery period from this terrible pandemic. 

“The past couple of years have been the biggest challenge many of us have ever faced and there is still much that needs to be done.  There is much that needs to be done to give a lasting legacy of COP26 and deliver a better, net zero, integrated transport network.  However, I am confident about the future and I am very proud to be leading SPT and working with partners to face those challenges together.”