A message from Emma

As announced on 2 April, yesterday marked Emma Gilthorpe’s first day at Royal Mail Group. Emma is working closely with Martin Seidenberg during an intensive induction process before taking over responsibility for Royal Mail Group in the summer. During this period Martin Seidenberg will continue as interim CEO for Royal Mail Group.  

Emma writes:

The first of May is traditionally a day to celebrate new beginnings, and for me it represents a particularly exciting new start. 

I have worked for companies that are vitally important parts of the UK’s infrastructure - from Heathrow to BT, so coming to Royal Mail felt like a logical next step. 

One of the things that drives me is a core belief in service.  The belief that we can all make a difference to our customers, no matter what our role, and that thousands of small acts by individuals can add up to something extraordinary, is a great motivation to me. 

I can’t think of many other companies where dedication to service is so ingrained in the company’s brand, culture and history. I also understand that the last few years have been challenging ones and that the pride people have in working for Royal Mail and Parcelforce has been tested. 

In my experience, challenging times can also be turning points when teams pull together in adversity, enabling real progress to be made. I believe we are at that point. 

It is clear with everyone’s focus and hard work, Royal Mail is starting to turn a corner on quality of service.  The investment in new hubs and technology is also beginning to pay off and with the prospect of Universal Service reform, there is a lot we can build on together. I can’t wait to play my part in creating that future with you. 

Which brings me to my second core belief: putting people at the heart of great businesses.

When I think about Royal Mail, I of course think about those bright red trucks, hubs, mail centres, Parcelforce depots and delivery offices linking up the country – the life blood of the UK economy and the backbone of our communities. 

But more than that I think about the thousands of people, that our customers rely on - collecting, sorting and delivering messages and packages to customers up and down the country, come rain or shine. 

I have found that believing in and bringing out the best in people – along with making sure they have a safe, open and hopefully enjoyable working environment – is the foundation for business success.  And if the business succeeds then the people do too. 

I’ve had a really warm welcome from the people I have met so far, and I am looking forward to meeting many more of you in the coming weeks.  First up, I’m heading off to our sister company GLS to see how they do things, then I’ll be visiting a range of our Royal Mail locations across the UK.  

I have a lot to learn, and I’m really excited to get to know our business and many of you along the way.