• PAUL Taylor has been appointed head of sales at AA Tyre Fit. Most recently he was general manager with tyre company Cooper-Avon. Before that his experience in the motor industry spans 17 years. In his new role, Taylor takes responsibility for the company's internal and external sales.

  • JOSAM UK has appointed Brian Bell as its new technical sales representative. The new post assists the chassis straightening and wheel alignment company enhance its services to the UK haulage market. Bell has more than 30 years' experience working with goods vehicles including 11 years with Foden Trucks and 18 years at Eaton Truck Components.

  • LEX Vehicle Leasing, jointly owned by the RAC and HBOS, has appointed two senior personnel to its board. Tom Costello and Peter Cottle are with the HBOS-owned Capital Bank Motor as directors. Costello is senior director and Cottle is director of manufacturer, key accounts and leisure divisions. Together they bring more than 60 years' experience in the finance industry.

  • EDDIE Gerrard has been appointed operations manager with The Auctions in Newport. He takes responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Usk Way site and assists evening sales as on-site auctioneer. He has almost 30 years of experience in the car auction industry and began his career transporting and testing vehicles before training to become an auctioneer in the late 1970s.

  • VEHICLE information provider HPI has appointed Daniel Burgess as director of its automotive division. He has more than 20 years' experience in the motor industry and has worked for Fiat/Lancia in the UK and Italy, Vauxhall and Citroen. Prior to this new role, Burgess spent five years at Mondial Assistance as national motor sales manager.

  • LAND Rover's product PR team has undergone some changes recently. Mike Gould retired at the end of 2002 after 30 years with the company. However three new press officers have been appointed. James Andrew takes on responsibility for product and brand communications, Jane Roche looks after product events and Roger Crathorne becomes technical manager for product affairs. Andrew has a corporate background most recently with Jaguar and Land Rover. Roche joins the company from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and Crathorne comes from the Land Rover and is the contact for all technical enquiries.

  • SARAH McRoberts has been appointed as Cooper-Avon's new communications manager. She has been with the tyre company since 1997 working in sales and marketing. Most recently she was European territory manager responsible for sales in Scandinavia, the Balkans and Poland.