The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has appointed Kevin George, Chairman of Red Funnel Group to its Board of Directors after they say goodbye to Henk Wiekens after serving 12 months.
Kevin’s early career was with British Airways as an avionics engineer, progressing through to senior roles in marketing and operations. In 2007 Kevin joined Monarch Airlines initially as their operations director before taking the position as CEO in 2011.
After over 30 years working in aviation, Kevin moved into the marine industry and joined the Red Funnel Group as CEO in 2014.
Red Funnel operates vehicle and passenger services in Southampton and the Isles of Wight, transporting in excess 850,000 vehicles and 3.4m passengers per annum. Kevin became Chairman of the Red Funnel Group in 2018.
In addition, Kevin is Chair of Discover Ferries, the industry campaign to promote ferry travel, Chair of Trustees at UKSA, a Business Director of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and a Council member of Maritime UK.
Kevin George said: “I am delighted to be joining the Steamship Group and look forward to assisting in the development of the business in both its shipping and aviation activities to provide it’s lifeline services to the Islands. It is a fascinating time to be joining the Company as it addresses some key performance and asset challenges”
Stuart Reid, Chief Executive Officer of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group said: “Kevin will bring both marine and aviation expertise and experience to the board of directors and he is a strong appointment for the Group. We look forward to officially welcoming Kevin on the 1st September and I am sure he will provide valuable input to our marine asset replacement programme as well as building on the current improvements to the operational service”. I would also like to pass on my thanks Henk Wiekens who has provided valuable support and input to the company over the last 12 months.
Ian Howard, Chairman of Isles of Scilly Steamship Group said: “It is with great pleasure that I welcome Kevin to the Steamship Group, and I look forward to working with him as a part of our team. His unique skill set, and broader experience will be immensely valuable as we plan for the future.
“Kevin’s values align very closely with those of the Steamship Group and its aims and ambitions in serving and supporting the communities within which we work”
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group was founded by islanders almost 100 years ago to provide lifeline passenger and freight services to the Isles of Scilly. It operates eight fixed wing Skybus aircraft from Land’s End, Exeter and Newquay airports, and the seasonal Scillonian III passenger ferry from Penzance between March and November.
The £17-million turnover business employs 228 staff, making it one of the biggest employers in the region.