Transport group Go-Ahead has appointed Sarah Mussenden as group chief financial officer.
The appointment comes after a difficult period for the Newcastle-based company, which last week revealed that it was facing costs of up to £81.3m over the loss of a rail franchise when it failed to declare significant public funding.
Former finance chief Elodie Brian left the company last year when the issue first arose.
Read more: Go-Ahead Group franchise loss to cost company up to £81.3m
Ms Mussenden - who is currently interim chief financial officer at Royal Mail UK - will begin the role in May.
She takes over from group financial controller Mark Ferriday, who will act as interim group chief financial officer when Gordon Boyd steps down from the role at the end of March.
In addition to her current job at Royal Mail UK, Ms Mussenden has been chief financial officer at Centrica Consumer Services (British Gas), Barts and The London NHS Trust. She's also been financial director at British Airways and is a non-executive director and member of the Audit and Risk Committee at The Premier Miton Group plc.
Clare Hollingsworth, The Go-Ahead Group plc chair, said: "I am delighted to welcome Sarah to Go-Ahead. Her senior commercial business leadership experience, together with her strong financial accounting and audit background, will be particularly valuable as the group will have completed its business review, led by Christian Schreyer, and moved to the next phase of the group's development.
"She also has worked extensively in transport and regulated businesses, where the customer proposition and the environmental agenda are central to long term sustainable growth."
Ms Mussenden added: "I am so pleased to be joining the board of Go-Ahead. Throughout my career I have worked for businesses that have important purposes and add real value to society.
"Go-Ahead very much fits this description. It's been a challenging couple of years for the group, but the underlying business is robust and has strong long-term prospects.
"I look forward to working with Christian and the board to enhance governance and financial control across the Group, whilst also driving to maximise its inherent value."
