Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Arriva Chief Financial Officer awarded Leeds Beckett University Honorary Doctorate
Martin, an alumnus of the university, graduated in 1989 with a BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance and has strong family ties to Leeds Beckett University, his wife is a fellow graduate and his daughter currently studies at the university.
He said: “I am immensely honoured to be receiving this award. Given both my wife and I are former students at Leeds Beckett, and our daughter is currently a student, we have had a strong connection to the university for the past 30 years.
“We have seen the university grow from strength to strength and we were very strong advocates of it when our children were choosing where to study. I am proud to be a former student and delighted to be recognised as such after 30 years in business.”
Martin is Arriva plc’s Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for the company’s treasury and tax, financial reporting, insurance and ICT.
He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1992 with Deloitte and later moved to RSM Robson Rhodes in 1995.
A move to industry beckoned, and Martin joined Yorkshire Electricity Group plc in 1997 where he became Head of Internal Audit and then Head of Corporate Accounting in 1999.
In 2001, following the sale of Yorkshire Electricity, Martin joined Arriva plc as Group Financial Controller. Following the acquisition of Arriva by Deutsche Bahn, Martin was promoted to his current position of Chief Financial Officer of Arriva plc in 2010.
Sir Bob Murray CBE, Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University, said: “A fellow graduate of accounting and finance like myself, Martin has strong links to our university and we are very pleased to welcome him back. He is an expert in his field who has enjoyed a successful career and I’m delighted that the university is recognising Martin’s extensive experience and significant talent with this honorary award.”
Arriva is a leading international passenger transport provider operating in 14 European countries with a turnover of around £5.5 billion and some 53,000 employees. It operates services including local buses, local, regional and national train services, trams, waterbuses and non-emergency patient transport.
It has a significant presence in Yorkshire, providing services across West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.