Royal Mail names Heathrow exec Emma Gilthorpe as new boss after hiking price of stamps for third time in a year

Royal Mail has named a senior Heathrow executive as its next boss – just as it hikes the price of stamps for the third time in a year.

Emma Gilthorpe, who is the airport’s chief operating officer, will join the delivery group on May 1, parent company International Distribution Services (IDS) said.

She will then take over the Royal Mail arm of the business in the summer.

Gilthorpe succeeds interim boss Martin Seidenberg. 

He took on the role alongside his job as chief executive of the wider IDS group last October after embattled boss Simon Thompson quit.

Thompson left the group just weeks after he resolved a long-running dispute with unions over pay.

He was also under pressure for missing delivery targets. Royal Mail racked up losses of £319million in the six months to the end of September 2023.

Gilthorpe’s appointment came as Royal Mail hiked the price of its stamps.

The cost of a first-class stamp rose by another 10p yesterday, to £1.35.

Second class stamps also went up 10p to 85p. The price of a first class stamp has gone up three times in a year – from 95p to £1.10 in April 2023 and then to £1.25 in October.

It comes at a critical juncture for Royal Mail as Ofcom is considering its future and the ‘universal service obligation’ to deliver letters six days a week.

The industry regulator revealed in a long-awaited report in January that an overhaul could see Royal Mail’s letter delivery service slashed from six days to five – or even three – a week.

Ofcom has since been consulting on the proposals, with a deadline of today for responses. 

It will report back its findings in the summer.

Gilthorpe has worked at Europe’s busiest airport since 2009 and managed Heathrow’s response to pandemic.

She said: ‘Royal Mail is a great British brand with a long and proud history. ‘Now is the time to ensure it has a successful future too.’