FLEET management and funding specialist VELO is expanding its operations in the north of England and Scotland with the launch of a new Harrogate-based company headed by industry figure Nigel Stead. VELO (North) was launched on Thursday with Stead being appointed managing director. The company is looking for premises and is recruiting locally-based sales and customer support staff.

Marlow-based VELO provides a complete range of fleet management services, including Europe's leading accident management service. VELO Motor Accident Management, jointly owned by Aon Risk Services and VELO, provides accident management for some 120,000 vehicles, while VELO, a subsidiary of Kleinwort Benson, provides fleet management and financing services, including contract hire, to more than 20,000 vehicles.

VELO managing director David Voss will chair the enterprise. Stead was the founder and managing director of Leeds-based JCT 600 Contracts until he was recruited by United Dominions Trust, one of Britain's largest motor finance companies, to jointly head its new contract hire and fleet management company - Harrogate-based First Service Management - with Nick Brown, former managing director of Hartwell Motor Contracts.