Petards Joyce-Loebl Limited (PJL) has revealed that it has made two new promotions ahead of its 2026 product trials.
The company promoted General Manager, Victoria Hodge, to the position of Managing Director and also strengthened its commercial operations for the Petards Rail division with the appointment of Maria Walker as Business Development Manager.
Hodge stated: “As Managing Director, I look forward to championing and elevating Petard’s market presence and market share as our team builds on existing products and introduces innovative, pioneering Al technologies.
“My focus is on strategic leadership, operational excellence and ensuring Petards continues to drive sustainable growth and trading performance over the medium and long term.
“This will be achieved through the successful delivery of our existing order book and client commitments, alongside the execution of the company’s new product roadmap and the introduction of innovative solutions to the market.”
She continued: “In 2026, the company will host a series of data-driven product trials within live client environments, creating a significant opportunity to accelerate growth, deepen industry insight and advance innovation.
“Further updates on the progress of our product roadmap will be shared publicly, later this year.
“To realise this ambition, we have intentionally chosen to differentiate ourselves. Our team sees the future as an opportunity to reshape and redefine what is possible within our industries.
“Above all, our people remain our greatest asset. The continued development of our talent and culture through open engagement will be fundamental to building a forward-looking organisation that is equipped to lead our industries into the future,” she added.
Petards highlight that Hodge joined the company as Bids and Service Manager for Petards Rail where numerous achievements elevated her to Commercial Manager, Commercial & Operations Manager and onwards, to General Manager.
As General Manager, Hodge led the business through a period of transformation, improving operational efficiencies and enhanced quality standards whilst also building a strong leadership team.
Prior to joining Petards, Hodge spent a decade with BAE Systems in senior commercial leadership roles with responsibility for worldwide projects and a senior role at DeepOcean where she led on global offshore gas and renewables developments.
According to the company, this is the first time that the company has appointed a Managing Director as the highest-ranking executive of PJL.
It follows almost eight years of exceptional career progression for Hodge and aligns with Petard’s commitment to succession planning, stability and growth.
Petards Rail also welcomes Maria Walker as Business Development Manager.
According to Petards, Walker brings a wealth of experience in the technical rail industry.
She joined after working with Telent Technology Services where she managed the expansion of key Network Rail accounts and developed strategic partnerships with Tier One contractors.
Previously, Walker was a Senior Sales & Account Manager, UK & Ireland for Icomera and a Key Account Manager for Nomad Digital, delivering business-critical connectivity, safety and operational solutions.
In her new role, Walker will be responsible for managing Petard Rail’s UK business accounts and driving growth within and beyond the UK sector.
Walker expressed: “Petards Rail has a highly respected heritage and manufactures one of the largest sources of on-train CCTV systems in the UK.
“My role offers an exceptional opportunity to support and nurture our impressive client base, not least, as we gear up to the launch of an advanced tech enhancement that further supports rail passenger safety.”
Hodge later added: “We are delighted to welcome Maria to our team. She joins the business at an exciting time which sees our 2026 order intake at an exceptional level.
“Her wealth of experience within rail and record of achieving business growth and strategic partnerships will be invaluable as we continue to innovate our sector products and technology.”
