Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Serco has announced the promotion of Kate Fleetwood to the role of Head of Operations, for the West Coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The promotion of Kate into this newly created role reaffirms Serco’s commitment to supporting the Saudi Government and Vision 2030, with a special focus on enhancing the safety and readiness of projects across the West Coast region and echoing the company’s continued commitment to impact a better future for the region’s residents and visitors.
Kate is responsible for overseeing the financial and operational delivery of Serco’s contracts on the West Coast of Saudi Arabia, including within the Red Sea and NEOM area, where Serco hold a number of contracts supporting the development of the giga cities infrastructure, including providing fire & rescue services (FRS) at Red Sea International Airport and supporting Red Sea Global’s carbon-neutral mobility services.
In her new role, overseeing around 200 staff, Kate and her team have a core objective of bringing Serco’s many years of experience and knowledge within the transport and emergency services industry to the rapidly developing region to instil best practises from Serco’s global experience and ensure a transfer of knowledge to support the nationalisation aims of the country.
Since joining Serco in October 2022, having previously worked with Rolls-Royce and National Nuclear Laboratory in the UK, Kate has been instrumental in leading multiple large-scale negotiations and mobilisations, swiftly establishing herself as a key contributor to Serco’s growth in the Middle East, with a track record of operational excellence. This expertise is now pivotal, particularly during the complex and unique construction phases of the country’s giga cities, which come with several unique challenges.
Ensuring that sophisticated emergency services infrastructure is operational from construction onset is essential for the safety and prosperity of the cities, their residents, workers and millions of expected visitors in the coming years. Earlier this year, Serco was also accepted by the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) to become an authorised Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) training authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, making Serco the first international vendor to be recognised by GACA for its training capabilities.
Additionally, Kate’s promotion is also reflective of the progressive efforts of Serco’s commitment to fostering female leadership within the operations sector. Today, Serco has an executive leadership team comprising 50% women, and 42% of its critical management roles are held by female employees.
Kate Fleetwood, Head of Operations for West Coast, Serco Middle East said: “It’s a privilege to represent Serco, a company that actively challenges the status quo in promoting the progression of women into operational roles. This advancement paves the way for a new generation of women to shape their own futures in the industry. As Vision 2030 unfolds, revealing an increased need for adept and experienced partners, our team is dedicated to playing a significant and important role in impacting a better future for the community here in the region, delivering top-tier transport and emergency services across the West Coast and ensuring our operations both support and keep pace with the ambitions of the Saudi Government.”
Kate will report into Samantha Rowles, Operations Director – Transport, for Serco Middle East. Congratulating Kate, Samantha said: “Kate’s promotion is a testament to her remarkable skill set and the exceptional value she has added to our operations in a short time. Her expertise and experience will be pivotal as we continue to expand our operations in Saudi Arabia. Serco prides itself on providing avenues for growth and recognising the hard work and talent of its employees. Kate’s journey exemplifies the company’s focus on diversity and empowerment, and her rise within Serco underscores the organisation’s support for the professional advancement of women in the industry.”
