THE importance of fleet managers to the financial success of companies is rapidly increasing, putting them firmly in the driving seat for years to come, according to the country's leading motor industry academic. Professor Garel Rhys, director of the Centre for Automotive Research at Cardiff Business School, said the management of a firm's transport needs would become a totally professional domain as the rapid pace of market change demanded detailed knowledge of the motor industry to avoid costly pitfalls.

The vital role of purchasing and controlling the fleet was equal to a boardroom post, not just a managerial one, he said. 'The position of the fleet manager in my view won't diminish, it will increase. It will be a truly professional post,' Rhys added. 'The fleet manager must know that in future it is not good enough to be a little Englander, just sticking to one thing. You have to be professional. It is not just about ordering any car, but a position as professional as being a director in a company.'

The position need not be solely fleet management and could be part of an overall job of purchasing, he continued, but there was no room for amateurism in any field. 'Fleet managers will be in the driving seat in the next 20 years so far as the market is concerned. They will be the ones at the sharp end, looking into the best possible bargains,' said Rhys.