New fleet boss for Vanguard

TIM Bailey has been appointed as vice-president fleet for Vanguard Rental (UK). The appointment sees Bailey take on responsibility for the purchase, control and disposal of the National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car and Guy Salmon Prestige rental fleets of more than 70,000 vehicles across the UK, Germany and Switzerland. Bailey joins from his position of general manager for Vanguard’s German operations and takes over from Stephen Deakin, who is retiring after 25 years with the business. Bringing with him 17 years’ rental industry experience, Bailey started his career with Alamo in operations, working up to regional manager for the south of England before moving into European fleet operations and planning in Germany. In 2003, he was appointed general manager for Germany, with direct responsibility for operations, fleet, network development and sales and marketing.

Bailey’s overriding focus will be on ensuring the quality and standard of rental vehicles, while also being responsible for fleet-related expenses.

  • DOLLAR Thrifty Car Rental UK continues to expand its sales team with the appointment of Julian Wilkes as new business sales development manager for the south west. Reporting to Dollar Thrifty UK sales director Caroline Gallagher, Wilkes’ new role involves developing and retaining accounts while looking for new opportunities in the south west of England.

    He brings with him experience gained at Sixt Kenning and Enterprise.

  • VEHICLE management solutions specialist Universal Salvage has appointed David Turney as sales director, to lead the company’s new business strategy. Turney will be responsible for new business and maintaining relationships across all target markets. He will also be tasked with developing strategic alliances with industry associations.

    Turney joins Universal Salvage from independent fleet performance company, FMG Support and brings with him more than 20 years’ experience in the automotive and car rental industry.

  • MOTOR insurance claims management specialist WNS Assistance has appointed Mark Pierce as its new sales director. The appointment represents a first step in the company’s expansion into new areas of claims management. Pierce joins from claims management provider GAB Robins, where he worked for 16 years, and has 22 years’ experience in insurance claims.

    WNS Assistance currently handles more than 250,000 motor claims a year on behalf of insurers, brokers and large commercial fleets, but plans to double this number by the end of next year. Pierce has been appointed to support this growth and extend the company’s services from motor claims management into other areas. He will be based at WNS Assistance’s head office in Ipswich.

  • RACHEL Nickless has joined National Car Rental’s international corporate sales and marketing team as account manager. Reporting to National’s director of international accounts, Nickless will work closely with a number of the firm’s pan-European customers.

    She brings more than five years’ travel industry experience to National, having worked in account management roles at both Air France and Whitbread. Nickless has been tasked with enhancing relationships with existing multi-national customers as well as identifying new business opportunities.

  • VAN maker LDV has appointed Keith Stanton as executive director, global purchasing and business improvement. Stanton joins LDV’s board from Ford, where he was plant director at its Transit van factory in Southampton.

    As part of his remit at LDV, Stanton will be responsible for all aspects of LDV purchasing, including the implementation of business and process improvement programmes across the company.

    Stanton brings a wealth of light commercial vehicle experience with him to LDV. At Ford, he was credited with swelling production volumes at the Southampton plant by 30% in the last year.

  • GARETH Newton has been appointed north-west area sales manager for specialist battery distributor MANBAT. Newton, who has worked in the automotive industry all his working life, succeeds Paul Clayton, who has been promoted to branch manager at Abergele in North Wales, where the firm was founded more than 50 years ago.Newton will work at MANBAT’s Manchester branch.

  • To advertise in the Recruitment section of FNN, please call Maggie Willis on 01733 468339 or email fleet.jobs@emap.com.