AUDI UK's head of sales, Alan Maloney, who also oversaw fleet sales, has left the company to pursue new interests. Kevin Rose, director of Audi UK, said he hoped to announce a new head of business sales in the near future, which would appear to split responsibility for fleet and retail sales.

Audi said the first task of the new appointee will be to develop a strategy to grow Audi's sales profitably to the corporate market over the next three years. Maloney told Fleet NewsNet he had left due to a 'difference of agreement on policy'. He joined Audi five years ago as fleet sales manager, before becoming head of fleet sales in January 1996 and head of sales in September 1997. He was part of the team assembled by then Audi UK director Len Hunt, who oversaw the separation of the brand from Volkswagen.

Maloney said: 'The sales growth curve was enormous and business was profitable. Fleet sales increased from 3,000 units in 1995 to 16,000 last year. We introduced a strong fleet programme which was working very effectively. I thought the sales performance was very good and much of that was down to service.' He added: 'I want to stay within the motor industry. I have 25 years' experience of the business and I look forward to utilising that experience.'