LATEST appointments in the fleet industry.

New directors for Avis Rent a Car board

AVIS Rent A Car has made three new appointments to its board of directors. Paul Hainsworth is now operations director after spending 18 months with Avis Europe in Budapest. Before that he spent 13 years with BP.

The new finance director is Mike McEnaney, who joins from Honda UK. He will be responsible for building profitability and efficiency across the business. Daniel McCarthy becomes business development director after spending five years as New Zealand country manager for LEK consulting. He will manage the development of products and services.

  • GE Commercial Finance, Fleet Services has brought Steve Courtney on board as new business sales leader. Courtney has also worked in fleet sales and sales management for Lloyds TSB Autolease and Dial Contracts. Other sales experience includes time at sales training specialist Huthwaite International, where he worked with Reuters, IBM and Sun Microsystems.

  • CONTRACT hire and leasing firm Tuskerdirect has welcomed Karen Downey as business account manager. Downey has more than 12 years’ experience in the fleet industry at firms including Leasecontracts, Highway Vehicle Management, First National Vehicle Contracts and most recently at Lloyds TSB autolease in Worcester. In her new role she will be responsible for looking after fleet customers and advising them on issues such as legislation, duty of care and health and safety.

  • CONSULTANCY firm Network Automotive has made Colin Bruder its new managing director. Bruder has spent almost two decades with Procter and Gamble, a 10-year spell as managing director of Guinness in Germany, and also has experience with Mars and Smiths Food Group. In the motor industry, he was national sales director at Renault UK from 1981-1986, and has more recently been sales and marketing director with telematics specialist Police 5. For the past year, he has been engaged on a consultancy basis by Network’s sister company, Forester Grant, setting up operations in Germany and Spain. Bruder succeeds Frank Lord, who has been interim managing director for a year and now returns to his role of group non-executive director.

  • KEITH Doughty has taken over responsibility for Lexus Financial Services’ (LFS) national sales operations. He takes over as national sales manager from January 1. Doughty has been in motor finance for more than 20 years, the last seven as northern regional finance manager for LFS. He also spent three years as northern European co-ordinator for the Global Best Practice Group. He replaces Bob Thurtle, who is moving to Toyota Financial Services, also as national sales manager.

  • MANHEIM Auctions has made two new appointments in the UK. Paul Hill is now operations director, responsible for auction operations at board level. He was formerly senior operations manager. Sarah Pepworth has been promoted to sales director – manufacturers. She has been with Manheim for more than 15 years and has been key account director since 1999.