Audi UK has announced James Buxton will be leaving the business, with Claire English named the new head of fleet.

English is currently head of fleet at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and will start in her new role on July 12.

She replaces Buxton, who has held the role since 2019, when he was named as Tom Brennan’s replacement. 

English joined the VW Group as a graduate in 2003 following time gaining an understanding of the fleet market as a fleet sales executive in the retail network.

Since then, she has held roles across product, marketing communications and sales ops/fleet at Skoda, Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Audi says her fleet expertise has been built up over the course of her career having spent time as an area and regional fleet sales manager, business development manager and as the national contract hire and leasing manager at Volkswagen.

She joined Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in June 2019 as head of fleet where she introduced new ways of working in a remote selling landscape, as well as rolling out a fleet agency earlier this year. As a mark of her success, Audi says she has left behind a record fleet order bank.

Andrew Doyle, director of Audi UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome someone of Claire’s expertise to the team.

“At a time when we begin to dramatically expand our line-up of fully electric e-tron models, Claire’s wealth of operational fleet knowledge and focus on customer experience will ensure that she is a very strong asset to the business, and our top management team.”

The departure of English from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles coincides with a number of new senior appointments at the division.