INVERCLYDE-based bus firm McGill's has announced a new appointment.

Keith Rogers, formerly of FirstGroup, will now take over as head of compliance and business development.

The company chief executive says that recruiting the experienced professional will help them grow and expand.

Speaking about his new role, Mr Rogers said: "I am pleased to be joining McGill’s Group at such an exciting time for the company.

"There are real opportunities for growth across our bus network as well as through our partnership with FlixBus and our coach holiday division, Loch Lomond Travel.

"Franchising is also a very live issue for McGill's to address and I look forward to leveraging my experience to address these opportunities and challenges on behalf of the group."

Having worked closely with Transport for London (TfL), and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore, Mr Rogers has been at the forefront of establishing and maintaining high-quality operations for major global transport operators.

In recent years, McGill’s has expanded considerably from Inverclyde and Glasgow into the rest of Scotland, firstly with the acquisition of Xplore Dundee from National Express and then the purchase of First Scotland East and Bright Bus Tours almost two years ago.

Chief executive Tony Williamson said:  “Keith’s depth of knowledge in compliance, safety, and risk management will be invaluable to McGill’s as we continue to grow and expand our operations.

"His track record in working with international stakeholders and delivering key strategic projects makes him an exceptional addition to our leadership team.”