LATEST appointments in the fleet industry.

Manheim move

MANHEIM Auctions has announced the appointment of Alan Parkinson to a new position – director of operational planning & strategy.

Parkinson arrives from the RBS subsidiary Lombard, where he has held a number of senior positions over 20 years. Most recently, he was a director of Lombard Vehicle Management, Jamjarcars and Dixon Motors.

In his new role, Parkinson will head up strategy and major projects within Manheim’s UK auction business.

  • NICK Rayner is the new managing director of Unipart Automotive. The move comes after Rayner spent nine years at the aftermarket logistics division of the company.

    In his new role, Rayner will report directly to Unipart Group chief executive John Neill.

  • VELO Rental Management has expanded its sales team with the appointment of two new members of staff. Edgar Weekes and Carol Flynn both have significant experience working for some of the largest rental companies operating in the UK.

  • FLEET management firm Zenith Vehicle Contracts has teamed up with e-commerce company epyx to set up its own in-house hire car team.

    The team is headed by Anna Lawson, who has been promoted from account manager after five years at Zenith. Epyx’s 1link Hire Network platform provides Zenith with online links directly into its rental suppliers and with electronic hire invoicing from supplier to customer.

  • RENTAL firm Reflex Vehicle Solutions has recruited Steve Warren as its finance manager.

    He has previously worked for large manufacturing companies including Nestlé and Rhodia, the French chemical giant.

    Warren is the seventh new recruit at Reflex since the beginning of 2006, taking the workforce to 28. The move is part of a multi-million pound expansion.

  • MIKE Sanders has been made retail sales controller for new and used vans for the Hendy Group in Portsmouth and Southampton.

    Sanders became salesman of the year after joining Hendy two-and-a-half years ago. He began his career as an estate agent before moving into the motor trade and owned his own garage in Grimsby before deciding to move south.

  • MIKE Kimberley is taking over as chief executive of sports car maker Lotus. Currently chairman of the executive committee of Lotus Group International, Kimberley’s new priorities will be to improve the overall performance of Lotus as well as preparing and strengthening the company to compete in a wider market and on a broader global business base.

    He has been with Lotus since 1969, and has also worked with General Motors, Jaguar and Lamborghini.

  • TECHNOLOGY firm Siemens VDO Trading has appointed James Bennett to its digital tachograph sales team. As sales manager, he is responsible for promoting the company’s training packages to Midlands transport operators.

  • NEIL Bramma has been brought in by Hatfields of York to help launch the Dodge brand at the Nether Poppleton showroom. He has 13 years’ industry experience, working for Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and an automotive data intelligence company.

  • SUFFOLK commercial vehicle dealership ChassisCab has a new LDV sales specialist, Sue Wesson.

    She joined ChassisCab’s commercial vehicle sales team after working for 12 years as a teacher. In her new role, Wesson is responsible for the sales and marketing of both new and used LDV vehicles. She will provide the region’s van operators with advice on which models to select.