# Keith Ludeman > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Keith_Ludeman > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Keith_Ludeman.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ludeman > Source revision: 1344442724 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Keith Lawrence Ludeman** (born 28 January 1950),[1] is a British businessman, former [CEO](/source/CEO) of the [Go-Ahead Group](/source/Go-Ahead_Group) and now a Non-Executive Director. ## Early life Ludeman was born in [Bromley](/source/Bromley), [Kent](/source/Kent), and educated at Bromley Technical High School for Boys[1] (three years below [David Bowie](/source/David_Bowie) - the school is now called the [Ravens Wood School](/source/Ravens_Wood_School)) on *Oakley Road* in [Keston](/source/Keston), and then undertook a [BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in Geography at [Newcastle University](/source/Newcastle_University).[2] After graduating in 1971 he joined [Tynemouth and District Transport](/source/Tynemouth_and_District_Transport) as a conductor (badge number AA 52142), for a summer job, but stayed for 15 months before undertaking an [MSc](/source/Master_of_Science) in Transport Engineering and Planning at the [University of Salford](/source/University_of_Salford), with a thesis entitled: *Problems And Planning of Community Railway Stations.*[2] ## Career Ludeman then joined the local transport authority in [Greater Manchester](/source/Greater_Manchester) in the planning department, before switching to line management in [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire) where he gained his bus driver's licence (badge number N 12281). After eight years he and his wife moved to [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) where he worked as [senior transport officer](/source/Transport_in_Hong_Kong), before becoming a consultant in the private sector and then returning to the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) selling software for scheduling bus crews.[2] In 1986, Ludeman became managing director of the council-owned [Burnley & Pendle](/source/Burnley_Bus_Company), but after turning a £1million loss to a £1million profit he returned to London to join [London Regional Transport](/source/London_Regional_Transport). Under [Margaret Thatcher](/source/Margaret_Thatcher)'s government's privatisation initiative, Ludeman became part of the management team at what became [London General](/source/London_General), one of 11 bus companies split from London Transport. After six years, Ludeman led a management buyout of London General for £28million. When the financial backers of London General wanted to sell, Ludeman as a result joined [Newcastle](/source/Newcastle_upon_Tyne)-based Go-Ahead in 1996. He was appointed managing director of the group's [London](/source/London) bus division in 1997, and then moved over to head the rail division in 1999, renaming the South Central franchise (previously run by Connex) back to the pre-grouping name of [Southern](/source/Southern_(train_operating_company)).[2] Ludeman had been a main board advisor since 1998, and became a director in September 2004. He was appointed as Chief Executive in July 2006 following the resignation on health grounds of [Chris Moyes](/source/Chris_Moyes).[3] Keith Ludeman retired from Go-Ahead Group on 1 July 2011. Ludeman was presented with an honorary doctorate by [University of Salford](/source/University_of_Salford) in July 2010. Ludeman is a fellow of the [Institute of Logistics and Transport](/source/Chartered_Institute_of_Logistics_and_Transport_in_the_UK_-_CILT(UK)) and of the [Institution of Railway Operators](https://web.archive.org/web/20030320051934/http://www.railwayoperators.org/). He was Chairman of the [Association of Train Operating Companies](/source/Association_of_Train_Operating_Companies) (ATOC) until 2005.[4] Ludeman was Non-Executive Director of [Network Rail](/source/Network_Rail) (July 2011 - July 2014). Ludeman is a Non-Executive Director of [Interserve plc](/source/Interserve_plc) (joined January 2011). He was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Eversholt Rail in June 2014. Ludeman is Chairman of Bristol Water (joined July 2012). ## Personal life Married to Diane, the couple have two daughters. The family home in [Shere](/source/Shere), [Surrey](/source/Surrey) together with a holiday home in [Cannes](/source/Cannes), were bought from the share sale proceeds of Go-Ahead's purchase of London General Omnibus.[1] He enjoys swimming, sailing and scuba diving. ## References 1. [Railway man behind 'bullet' trains - Page2](https://web.archive.org/web/20071106074424/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/11/04/ccprof104.xml&page=2) Sunday Telegraph - 3 November 2007 1. [Railway man behind 'bullet' trains - Page1](https://web.archive.org/web/20071106075950/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/11/04/ccprof104.xml) Sunday Telegraph - 3 November 2007 1. [Go-Ahead announcement about Chris Moyes's resignation and appointment of Keith Ludeman](http://www.go-ahead.com/Main.php?sFileName=NewsRelease.php&iNewsId=6&sYear=2006) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20061104044603/http://www.go-ahead.com/Main.php?sFileName=NewsRelease.php&iNewsId=6&sYear=2006) 2006-11-04 at the Wayback Machine 1. [Go-Ahead - Board of Directors](https://web.archive.org/web/20081224041559/http://www.go-ahead.com/Main.php?iCmsPageId=70) ## External links - [Go-Ahead](https://web.archive.org/web/20081224041559/http://www.go-ahead.com/Main.php?iCmsPageId=70) - [*Guardian* article August 1 2008](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/aug/01/goaheadgroupbusiness.transport) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Keith Ludeman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ludeman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ludeman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.