Jaama announces senior management changes

Jaama has announced that MD Martin Evans and IT director James Thresher will be standing down from their posts over the next few months.

Both have worked alongside Andrew Holgate, Jaama’s new chief executive officer for the past six months helping transition the business to its new owners Lexana Capital following its acquisition in July 2023. 

Evans said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in Jaama. We’ve created an amazing legacy that will endure and thrive because of Jaama’s incredible people who will continue to do great things and innovate customer centric solutions, accelerated by the expertise, financial stability and investment from Jaama’s new owners.”

He added: “I am leaving Jaama feeling fulfilled and happy that the new ownership is the right thing for my wonderful colleagues and our fantastic customers.

“We are complementing the existing team with some amazing new talent coming on board who are bringing their own energy, ideas and experience which will all help take the business to the next level.

“I will be stepping down from my day-to-day duties but look forward to carrying on helping Jaama from the side-lines.”

Jaama has also announced the promotion of Richard Evans to the role of sales director from his current head of business development role with immediate effect.

Holgate said: “We would like to thank Martin and James for their contribution in building the Jaama business and wish them well for the future.

“We would also like to congratulate Richard Evans on his much-deserved promotion to the board as sales director.

“He has led Jaama’s sales function since 2011 and has more than 20 years of experience of working in the fleet sector so he is fully immersed in the needs of our customers.”

Evans will continue in his role as a board member of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

Yodel bolsters leadership team with two new executive appointments

Yodel has announced two new senior executive appointments, bolstering its leadership team.

Having worked at Yodel for nearly five years as director of sort and transport and director of service centres, Mark O’Sullivan (pictured above) becomes Yodel’s chief operating officer.

He started his career at DPD as a driver 23 years ago and has since worked in various different management and director roles before joining Yodel in 2019.

In his new role, he will manage and lead daily business operations while helping to drive service improvements.

Lara Piggott (pictured below) has worked at Yodel for more than 12 years and has been appointed as director of planning and business control.

She brings 20 years of operational experience to the role, having started her career at DHL as an operations manager.

She joined Yodel in 2011 as a project manager and will be responsible for driving business momentum, planning for the peak period and overcoming operational challenges in her new role.

Yodel CEO, Mike Hancox, said: “At the core of our success is our people and Mark and Lara’s promotions reinforce our commitment to investing in our talent.

“Both have been at Yodel for a number of years and bring substantial experience of the business and the logistics sector more generally to their respective roles.

“This will be vital as we continue to strengthen our offering and focus on providing more value-added services to our clients and their customers.”

Tim Hudson takes over from Ian Hare as Clear Vehicle Data MD

Clear Vehicle Data (CVD) has announced that founder and MD, Ian Hare, is moving to a non-executive role in the business.

Hare, who launched CVD in 2013, has decided to step back, passing day-to-day operations to his business partner Tim Hudson.

He said: “I am pleased to be handing over to Tim and the team following our most successful year on record in 2023.

“It has been an enjoyable journey over the last eleven years working closely with our principal data partner, Solifi, while developing data products and creating market niches for those products and services.”

Hudson added: “Ian will support me and the CVD team as we further develop the Clear Vehicle Data proposition with an expanded product and services offering.

“I would like to thank Ian personally for the support and guidance that he has given me over the past three years and most recently in the development of the new CVD website that we launched this week.”

Robinson joins Prohire as chief commercial officer

Ex-Ryder fleet sales director, John Robinson, has joined Prohire as chief commercial officer in the latest phase of the company's growth strategy.

In his new role, he will play a key role in driving business growth through sustainable lease and contract hire, optimising service delivery and customer satisfaction.  

He will ensure Prohire’s sales resource is directed into key growth areas, such as high dependency and specialist fleets including support for customers in the deployment of high-performing, reliable, zero-emission vehicle technology through ProGreen, Prohire’s alternative fuels division.

Robinson has spent the past 20 years of his career in senior roles, latterly as fleet sales director, a role he held for over 14 years.

He said: “I’m delighted to be back in the industry in which I’ve spent my whole career, joining Prohire at such an exciting stage in its journey.

“Having spent my career at what was the UK market leader for decades, I can say that Prohire has all of the component parts to grow significantly, and I am looking forward to playing my part in helping the team to achieve its ambitions.”

Pat Skelly, chief executive officer at Prohire, added: “To have someone of John’s calibre and industry-standing joining us is testament to Prohire’s potential.

“His approach is collaborative, customer centric and professional. It’s a great time to be part of Prohire as we support our customers in the transition to net zero.”

Abax appoints Wan Luo as new CTO

Telematics company Abax strengthens its leadership team with the recruitment of Wan Luo as its new chief technology officer (CTO).

He previously held the position of head of engineering at Abax, where he was the driving force in the company's product development, geographical expansion, and market strategies.

He said: “Abax is going through a transformation, transitioning from being a traditional telematics company to becoming an insight-driven provider of smart mobility solutions.

“Our commitment is to empower our customers with valuable insights that optimize their business operations. This way, they can reduce costs, emissions, and create more efficient operations.”

Emma Dyga, CEO of Abax, added: “Wan's visionary leadership and deep technical expertise are exactly what Abax needs at this crucial point in our growth journey.

“His ability to transform complex data into user-friendly solutions will be crucial as we continue to strengthen our smart mobility solutions.”

Warranty Solutions strengthens senior management team

Warranty Solutions Group (WSG) has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Neil Monks, as the new group commercial director.

Monks has previously worked with WMS Group, LeasePlan and BT. As the sales and customer service director of WMS Group, he was responsible for managing the sales and customer service transition from WMS to its new parent Opteven.

In his new role at WSG, he will be responsible for building on the unprecedented growth and driving the business forward.

He said: “WSG has big ambitions and has tremendous entrepreneurial business with fabulous people and we are very privileged to have great customers.

“The business is producing significant growth, it understands and listens to its customers, then acts swiftly.

“The next few years will, in my opinion, bring great opportunities and challenges alike. I look forward to some incredibly exciting times ahead.”

Steph Newbery, group director of WSG, added: “Neil’s impressive industry experience will serve the business well in the coming years, combined with a clearly defined strategy to keep WSG growing and investing in both its people and customers.”

Neil Smith appointed as performance director for Hippo Approved

Neil Smith, a creative consultant with more than 40 years’ experience within the automotive sector, has joined the Hippo Motor Group as performance director.

He will be responsible for boosting sales and promoting growth within the dealership.

Recent work includes director, non-director, and advisory roles for a wealth of big brand businesses, including the online car retailer, Cazoo.

He said: “I have been watching Hippo’s growth journey with interest from afar and its successes to date have been phenomenal.

“Huge investments were made in the business’ staff, technology, and state-of-the-art facilities in 2023, all of which set the business up to achieve ambitious targets in 2024.”

The Hippo Motor Group has three brands - Hippo Approved, Hippo Leasing, Hippo Motor Finance.

Tom Preston, group director, said: “Neil is the perfect ambassador to lead this element of the business in a period of ambitious growth, not just for Hippo Approved, but for the whole group.”

Autotech Connect announces director appointments

Autotech Group has announced the appointment of Laurence Abbott as managing director of its Autotech Connect division, along with Darren Dowling as client services director.

Moving from his original position of group marketing and technology director, Abbott has also become Autotech Group’s chief technology officer, joining the company’s group leadership team.

While officially joining Autotech Group in 2020, he previously worked alongside the company from when it was founded in 2010 as director of digital agency, FNSCreative.

Supporting Laurence is Dowling, who brings a wealth of automotive aftermarket experience to the role.

Abbott said: “Since its initial launch last year, the team has been building partnerships with technological specialists and leveraging their expertise to create solutions to help aftermarket businesses run as effectively as possible while helping them build a robust digital infrastructure.

“This work has enabled us to build successful proof points following a series of trials. Now, with the support of Darren and the growing Autotech Connect team, I am looking forward to sharing this amongst the wider sector and demonstrating to them how, by effectively harnessing technology and Assisted Reality, they can overcome skills shortages and run more efficiently as a business.”

Joachim Drees joins Bedeo’s advisory board  

Bedeo has appointed Joachim Drees to its advisory board to ensure the company stays at the forefront of electrified mobility technology and production.

The company said that his understanding of the intricacies of the commercial vehicle sector, supply chain and needs of fleets, coupled with his proven track record of steering major corporations towards success, makes him a key addition to the board.

He was previously CEO of MAN SE and MAN Truck & Bus SE (formerly MAN Truck & Bus AG), concurrently holding a position on the executive board of Traton SE.

Bedeo’s founder and CEO, Osman Boyner, said: “His extensive experience, strategic acumen, and passion for transformative technologies align perfectly with our mission to redefine the automotive and EV landscapes.

“We look forward to leveraging Joachim's insights as we continue our pursuit of innovation and sustainability."

Drees added: “Decarbonisation in transport will remain one of – if not the – most important topics of this decade.

“Through my time leading a large commercial vehicle company, which has gone through its own transition, it’s clear to see the benefits of electrification and utilising smart powertrain solutions to get to the net-zero goal without impacting cargo space.”