QR chief stepping aside ahead of retirement

<p>QR chief executive Bob Scheuber will leave QR earlier than expected &#8211 at the end of this month &#8211 after a career spanning more than 30 years in which he gave the state rail operator’s freight services a national presence.</p> <p>Mr Scheuber is taking a long-planned family holiday and then further leave ahead of his retirement, planned to begin on July 1.</p> <p>&#8220This timing gave us an opportunity to commence the transition to a new chief executive,&#8221 QR chairman John Prescott said today (Tuesday, April 17). </p> <p>&#8220The board is progressing the recruitment process and we currently have a short list of about 10 people.&#8221 </p> <p>The chief operating officer, Stephen Cantwell, will become acting chief executive and QR does not expect to appoint a new chief before July 1.</p> <p>Mr Prescott said QR and the Australian rail industry were indebted to Mr Scheuber’s strong leadership, integrity and commitment.</p> <p>&#8220He successfully guided the organisation through some of its most challenging periods, particularly the onset of open competition and the rail freight industry rationalisation,&#8221 he said.</p> <p>&#8220During this period QR has seen enormous growth in passenger and coal markets as well as the unprecedented compelling moves in developing a national rail freight network.&#8221</p> <p>Reflecting on his time at QR, Mr Scheuber said he was very satisfied with QR making its presence felt on the national scene.</p> <p>&#8220I became QR’s chief executive with the agenda to take the freight business national, and since that has happened, I believe now is the right time for a change and to commence the transition process,&#8221 he said. </p> <p>&#8220We are in good shape, with a strong board and management team, and dedicated people operating in a changing market.&#8221</p> <p>Mr Scheuber thanked QR’s 14,000-strong workforce for its loyalty and professionalism.</p> <p>&#8220This organisation has undergone so much change in a relatively short period of time and they have accepted this and moved forward. I am very proud to have led such a committed team.&#8221</p> <br />