Serco has now confirmed the resignation of Jeremy Stafford, CE of UK & Europe, after several weeks of speculation (see here). Stafford will 'pursue other opportunities outside Serco’. Meanwhile, Andrew White, COO for the UK & Europe, will take on the CEO role on an interim basis.
Stafford is Serco’s second high profile management casualty caused by the MoJ electronic monitoring contract scandal. Last month, saw the departure of group CEO Christopher Hyman, who has also been replaced by an interim CEO (see Serco CEO quits).
This uncertainty over the future leadership at both group and now UK&E level leaves chairman Alistair Lyons now handling the big questions about Serco's future. Lyons represented Serco at the Parliamentary Accounts Committee this week as the only non-CEO, alongside Paul Pindar, CEO of Capita, Ursula Morgenstern, CEO of Atos UK and Ashley Almanza, CEO of G4S (see PAC seeks NAO oversight on major Government contracts).
To say Lyons has a lot on his plate right now would be an understatement. Not only is he handling the political fallout, but he now has to resolve big questions like who will take full time responsibility for the UK&E, which is in the process of being separated into two divisions, and who will ultimately succeed Hymans as group CEO once the dust has settled.