Serco boss Rupert Soames to retire: ‘It’s time for me to outsource myself’

Chief executive has offered robust defences of controversial outsourcing firm since 2014

The UK government contractor Serco has announced the planned retirement next year of its chief executive, Rupert Soames, who said it is now time for me to outsource myself" after leading the controversial company since early 2014.

Soames, 63, will step down as chief executive on 1 January 2023, by which point he will have led Serco for nearly nine years. He will be replaced by Mark Irwin, the chief executive of Serco's UK and Europe division, the company said on Monday in a statement to the stock market. Soames will remain as an adviser until September 2023.