Custom Denning appoints Antony Goozee CEO Europe as UK expansion includes new headquarters, e-coach and manufacturing plans

Australian bus manufacturer Custom Denning has appointed Antony Goozee as CEO Europe while expanding its UK presence with a new regional headquarters and service centre, the launch of an electric coach in 2027 and the exploration of a future UK manufacturing facility.

The appointment of Antony Goozee, effective 1 July 2026, comes in fact alongside a broader expansion of its European operations centred on the United Kingdom. The company said the move supports the rollout of its Element battery-electric bus range across the UK and European markets. The announcement was made by Custom Denning on 30 June.

The appointment comes as the UK Department for Transport’s 10-Year Zero Emission Bus Order Pipeline, published in March 2026, forecasts demand for up to 21,500 new zero-emission buses between 2026 and 2035. According to Custom Denning, its low-floor Element electric buses are already available for UK operators and are supported by aftersales and technical services.

Custom Denning is involved in a major order for 151 electric buses in Sydney (where 1,700 e-buses will be operational by 2028).

Antony Goozee to lead Custom Denning’s European business

The latest announcement follows Custom Denning’s initial steps into the UK market. In June 2025, the manufacturer announced that its eleventh Element 2 electric bus was being shipped to the United Kingdom as part of its international expansion. At that time, the company said the UK-bound vehicles had completed certification testing for local market approval and outlined a longer-term ambition to explore European production capabilities alongside continued distribution of Australian-built buses.

Antony Goozee joins Custom Denning with three decades of experience in the UK bus and coach sector. Before joining Custom Denning, Antony Goozee spent nearly eight years at National Express, where he held a series of senior leadership positions within the company’s UK bus business. Most recently he served as Managing Director – UK Bus, following roles as Bus Strategy & Commercial Director, Bus Strategy Director and UK New Business Director. His responsibilities included commercial strategy, engagement with local transport authorities and oversight of the company’s UK bus operations. Prior to National Express, Goozee also held management positions across the UK bus sector.

In his new role, Goozee will oversee Custom Denning’s European operations, manage the company’s UK commercial activities and support deployment of the Element electric bus range with operators, local transport authorities and procurement frameworks. The appointment also reunites him with Custom Denning Managing Director Scott Dunn, with whom he previously worked at Dunn-Line, that is heading Custom Denning since 2018.

The Element 2 is Custom Denning’s second-generation battery-electric bus, developed for urban public transport applications. The 12-metre model is available with battery-electric, fuel cell electric and autonomous-ready configurations, and features a stainless-steel body structure, a ZF electric driveline and lithium-ion NMC batteries with a total capacity of 382 kWh. According to the manufacturer, the vehicle accommodates up to 45 seated and 37 standing passengers and is equipped with ADAS features and CCS2 charging.

In terms of product, Custom Denning said the Element electric bus range has been developed for urban public transport operations, with models supporting both depot charging and opportunity charging configurations. According to the company, the vehicles are designed to meet UK homologation standards and accessibility requirements for public transport procurement, with a focus on passenger capacity and whole-life operating costs. Alongside its existing low-floor battery-electric buses, Custom Denning plans to expand the range with the introduction of an electric coach in 2027 for longer-distance and interurban services.

In brief

• Who has been appointed CEO Europe at Custom Denning? Antony Goozee will assume the role from 1 July 2026 after serving as Managing Director of National Express UK Bus.
• What is Custom Denning’s European expansion plan? The company is establishing a European headquarters and PDI/service centre in the East Midlands while expanding sales of its Element electric bus range.
• What products does the company offer in Europe? The Element low-floor battery-electric bus is available today, with an electric coach planned for introduction in 2027.
• What UK market opportunity does the company reference? Custom Denning cites the UK Department for Transport’s forecast of up to 21,500 zero-emission bus orders between 2026 and 2035.

East Midlands headquarters to support UK operations

As mentioned above, Custom Denning has acquired a property in the East Midlands that will serve as its European headquarters. The facility will accommodate regional management and commercial functions and include a nine-bay pre-delivery inspection (PDI) and service centre supporting vehicle preparation and aftersales activities for UK and European customers.

The company also stated that it intends to explore the establishment of a UK manufacturing facility in the future, subject to achieving long-term order volumes sufficient to support such an investment.

Scott Dunn, Managing Director of Custom Denning, said: “The UK electric bus market is at an inflection point, and Custom Denning is ready to play a major role in shaping it. Antony brings exactly the depth of sector knowledge, operator relationships, and commercial acumen that this expansion demands. Whilst I have lived in Australia for the past 12 years, I am very proud to be British, and I take enormous satisfaction from seeing buses I helped design running on the streets of England. My ambition is to grow the UK business to a sustainable level and, in time, open a new manufacturing plant here in the UK. We are committed to the UK for the long term.” 

Antony Goozee, CEO Europe at Custom Denning, added: “Custom Denning has built something genuinely impressive in Australia — a bus that operators trust, backed by a manufacturer that understands the realities of running a fleet. My ambition is to replicate that reputation here in the UK and across Europe. The Element is a compelling product, and the timing, with the government’s 10-Year ZEB Order Pipeline signalling up to 21,500 new zero emission bus orders over the next decade, could not be better. I am excited to be leading this chapter of the company’s story”.