LATEST appointments in the fleet industry.

New automotive role for Sir Digby

  • SIR Digby Jones, who is stepping down as the director-general of the CBI later this year, is joining Ford of Europe and the Premier Automotive Group (Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar).

    Sir Digby will be a part-time corporate and governmental affairs advisor from October 1. He will provide Ford Motor Company’s operations in the UK and Europe with strategic input on global political, business and trade issues.

  • VEHICLE tracking company Fleetview has appointed Ian Wilkinson as national sales manager.

    Wilkinson joins from Business Post, where he was sales manager. He has more than 15 years’ experience in logistics and telecoms for companies including City Link and the parcel division of the national rail network.

  • GARY Benfield has been appointed as the new sales director for Sandicliffe Motor Contracts, the Nottingham-based contract hire company. He joins from Arriva Vehicle Rental where he was fleet director, and prior to that was a director of Sovereign Fleet Services. Benfield will be responsible for developing all of the sales activities of the company throughout the UK.

  • NOBILAS Claims & Fleet Solutions has appointed Nick Williams to the position of marketing and sales manager in the UK. He comes to Nobilas UK with 18 years’ experience in the claims and accident management market, working with insurers, brokers, and corporate fleets.

    Prior to joining Nobilas, Williams was business development director at fleet management company FMG. He also served as sales and managing director at Willis, a global insurance and risk management firm, and held several senior positions at the RAC, the British motoring services company.

  • HITACHI Capital has appointed Peter Bosi to the newly-created role of head of commercial vehicle sales. He brings 25 years of leasing and contract hire experience, including 13 years with GE. Bosi will be responsible for developing the commercial fleet portfolio.

  • ING Car Lease has appointed John Winters as business development manager covering the north east of England. Winters joins from Venson Automotive Solutions where he held a similar role.

  • FIVE fleet specialists have joined contract hire company Covase. New arrivals Simon Homer, Colin Ford, Andy Jackson, Jamie Peters and Glyn Skeggs previously worked for Oxford Vehicle Leasing.

  • BRIAN Getley, formerly head of manufacturing services at Lotus Cars in Norfolk, has become the new managing director of Hatcher Components in Framlingham, Suffolk. He takes over from John Westrup, who is retiring after 29 years.

    Getley was head of manufacturing services for the bus division of Marshall’s specialist vehicles before moving on to Lotus cars for seven years. Westrup, who joined Hatcher Components in 1977 and became managing director in 1992, will continue to be associated with the company as a consultant working on special projects.

  • VEHICLE leasing and fleet management firm VELO has made several new appointments. Philip Peace joins as head of sales and marketing. He has more than 14 years’ industry experience at strategic and operational level. Joining him are three new business development managers – Simon Carr, Helen Davison and Lauren Redfern.