FORMER Longbridge plant managing director Kevin Howe has been appointed Rover Cars chief executive by the Phoenix Consortium. He is joined on the board by other Rover veterans, among them past fleet sales manager John Parkinson, who takes on the role of sales and marketing director.

Finance and strategy direction falls to ex-Rover Cars company controller John Millet, long-serving Longbridge executive Bob Beddow takes over as human resources director, and former Longbridge manager Chris Bowen is brought in as operations director.

Howe, who left Rover in December last year for a post with Rolls-Royce, said: 'I would not be returning unless I was convinced we can become a very successful business.'