ARVAL PHH chief operating officer David Bird has left the company as part of a management shake-up at the leasing and fleet management giant that will see it focus on forging closer European ties. Bird will not be directly replaced, but the company has appointed its operations director Graham Rixon as managing director of its car and truck businesses.

Francois Dambrine, head of ARVAL PHH Group, will also become chief executive of ARVAL PHH UK. John Cullum, remaining as president of ARVAL PHH UK, said the changes would forge closer ties with ARVAL PHH's mainland Europe operations. 'I will focus on building strategic relationships with our clients and suppliers.

'Many of our larger clients, with business operations in more than one European country, want the benefits we can deliver by being part of a continental network. Francois Dambrine will play a key role in driving this process forward to meet their expectations.'

In a further European move, Cullum said ARVAL PHH's European operations would look to adopt some of the products and services developed by the UK company. The UK is recognised as the most sophisticated fleet management market, and we are looking to extend the range of our services across Europe, and that includes fuel management,' said Cullum.

Bird was unavailable for comment, but is understood to have left over disagreements about the way his role in the company was developing. His departure follows that of managing director Jeremy Hay, who left the company in May to set up a consultancy service.