Meet the Team
Meet the Team – Interview with Shane Webster
With a team spread across continents, time zones and languages, we have a wealth of experience, knowledge and capability within Crescar. Our Meet the Team series shines a spotlight on the people who are the backbone, the motivators and the reality-makers. In this month’s feature, we’re speaking to Shane Webster, Director of PMO and Resourcing.
Interviewer: Let’s start at the beginning, when did you join Crescar?
Shane: I joined in 2020. I had previously worked for Russell Watmore; we have a great working relationship and complement each other’s skill sets well. At the time, I was working independently as a consultant in Dubai when Russell approached me with an opportunity to assist on the Dubai Bus bid.
I joined Crescar in its early days as a Bid Manager on an associate basis. Over time, I was primarily working for Crescar, so we decided to formalise the arrangement and I joined as Director. The timing worked well, as it coincided with one of Crescar’s partners Mark Kipling relocating from the UK to Bahrain, and I stepped into the London team.
Interviewer: And what would you describe as your key area of expertise?
Shane: My background is in bid and project management, and over time I’ve become a specialist in mobilisation, creating the frameworks and processes to support a bid once it’s been awarded, and ensuring the delivery team is set up with the right people and processes.
Interviewer: And how does the mobilisation process work?
Shane: It’s best to think of it as creating an operating company from scratch and putting in place the infrastructure needed to operate at full capacity. That means recruiting, onboarding and training the right people, establishing IT systems, policies and procedures, operational structures and so on.
Interviewer: And what are the big opportunities in transport in the UK right now?
Shane: Bus franchising is one of the biggest opportunities we’re working on at the moment. With the introduction of bus franchising across multiple regions, there is a pipeline of opportunity for our clients for the next 15-20 years. Being able to support our Client’s across the whole opportunity lifecycle, we will be actively involved in bidding, mobilising, driving operational efficiencies, and either handing back or defending contracts when they re-tender
Interviewer: With your focus remaining on bidding and mobilisation Operator side?
Shane: Largely, yes. But we’re also working more directly with authorities to apply our learnings and insights at the development stage, helping shape bids and frameworks using lessons from projects we’ve delivered globally, including in Singapore and Dubai, and integrating those insights early in the process.
That procurement advisory service is a major focus for me and the team.
Interviewer: And who leads that?
Shane: At the moment, my role is split between full-time PMO support and also supporting the growing team. We consciously rotate team members, particularly junior colleagues, across different projects globally. That gives them exposure to different markets, authorities and industry requirements, while learning directly from various Crescar Directors.
Mentorship is very important to us. We learned from great people in our careers, and part of Crescar’s ethos is to pass that knowledge on, allowing it to shape insight and process for the next generation of talent.
Interviewer: That must be a great asset to clients
Shane: Absolutely. Through my own training and experience, I have developed my understanding of technical, financial and commercial elements of transport operations, which allows me to adapt quickly, and plug gaps where needed to support our Clients. But that only happened through strong mentorship, and it’s something I’m keen to replicate for the team.
I joined the industry as a graduate trainee, progressed to bid analyst, then to bid manager, and ultimately to Director, and that journey was shaped by great guidance.
Interviewer: And finally – any ambitions for 2026 for yourself and Crescar?
Shane: To keep developing the team and strengthening our presence in the market. We have strong ambitions and real capability within the team, and I’m excited to play my part in bringing that together.
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