Industry jobs: Roles filled at DriveTech, DX Group, Auca, SSO Group, Jigcar, Leasing Options and Silverstone Leasing

Drivetech announces Leo Taylor as new director

Leo Taylor has been appointed as director at Drivetech to drive customer-led innovation.

He has been with the driver training provider since 2020 as head of product, where he directed product management and development across AA Business Services and Drivetech.

In this role, he oversaw the development and launch of Drivetech’s fleet data aggregation platform Halo Insights in 2024.

Designed to reduce fleet and driver risk, the platform consolidates critical fleet data, including telematics, fuel consumption, accident management, insurance, and operational costs into a single interface.

“The fleet sector is undergoing a hugely exciting period of change – certainly, the biggest in my lifetime,” said Taylor.

“At Drivetech, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this. We continually evolve our products and services to help address risky driver behaviours and keep our roads safe for all road users. I can’t wait to shape what’s next for the business.”

Director of AA Business Services, James Starling, added: “Leo’s experience, strategic vision and product development expertise make him the ideal person to lead the next phase of Drivetech’s growth.”

DX Group appoints Ian Truesdale as CEO

Ian Truesdale has been announced as the new CEO of DX Group, succeeding Paul Ibbetson, who led DX’s recent sale to HIG Capital.

He joins DX Group from Unipart Logistics, where he was MD of Unipart Consulting, and a main board director of the wider Unipart Group.

He was previously the senior vice president of operations for Kuene + Nagal AG and held senior leadership positions at Ceva/TNT Logistics and at DHL/Exel Freight Management.

Truesdale said: “DX is in a terrific position, and I am delighted to be leading the next phase of the Group’s growth.”

January 2024 saw the public-to-private acquisition of DX Group by HIG Capital, a global alternative investment firm.

“We have a very supportive partner in HIG, and I am confident of the opportunities ahead of us.” said Truesdale.

Auca appoints a senior management team for new used vehicle platform

Auca has announced the appointment of Lisa Grimsley (pictured above) as chief operating officer, Michael Buxton as a member of the board, and Jamie Newman as client services director.

This senior management team will take a leading role in running Auca’s new vehicle aggregation platform for used car buyers.

Grimsley brings more than three decades of remarketing expertise, having spent 15 years at Manheim and then taken on senior management roles at Aston Barclay and BCA Marketplace.

Buxton (pictured below) has more than 30 years’ experience working within the automotive sector, with 25 years at Cox Automotive as chief financial officer and CEO of its UK operations, before becoming president of its international businesses.

Newman (pictured below) has spent 15 years at Aston Barclay in a range of positions; including general manager and auctioneer at the Prees Health and Donnington Park sites.

Grimsley said: “Auca spells good news for both buyers and sellers, and we are pleased to announce an experienced team to make it a big success.”

The team will run Auca’s new platform, which is designed to provide professional used car buyers with a single place to locate and purchase used vehicles.

“The motor trade has always been time poor when it comes to sourcing wholesale stock from an ever-growing number of physical and online providers,” he added.

“We have pulled all the stock and key tasks into one place which will make a dealer’s life much easier, and after 12 months of development the Auca platform is close to launch.”

SSO Group restructures senior leadership team

SSO Group has restructured its senior leadership to drive growth across the various areas of the organisation.

Mike Brown will oversee the logistics arm of the business as managing director of SSOL (SSO Logistics), with Josh Martindale as operations director.

“I am committed to building a culture of transparency, performance and collaboration empowering the team to grow,” said Brown.

“Together, we’ll sharpen our commercial edge and deliver exceptional value to our customers.”

Simon Haslam has been appointed to the role of managing director of SSOIF (SSO International Forwarding). Haslam is joined by Gary McDermott as SOIF’s operations director.

Haslam said: “The international division of our business has achieved remarkable growth in a short period.

“As the new managing director, I’m incredibly proud to lead such a talented and driven team. Together, we will continue to raise the bar, embrace innovation, and build a culture where excellence and collaboration thrive.”

Group CEO of SSO, Peter Draper, added: “Having directors in the business with huge levels of expertise in their sectors has allowed us to focus on different departments within the group at a more granular level.”

Jigcar announces Jon Pollock as commercial director

Jon Pollock has been appointed to the position of commercial director at Jigcar as part of a growth strategy for the start-up.

Pollock, having already worked with Jigcar on a consultancy basis prior to his appointment, has previously worked for high-profile companies – such as McLaren Automotive, Nissan Motor GB, Toyota GB, and Aston Martin – in a range of senior roles.

Jigcar’s CEO and co-founder, Elliott Perks, said: “Jon’s extensive industry experience has already been pivotal to Jigcar’s early success in the UK and will continue to be as we scale both our customer base and product offering across the dealer and fleet sectors.”

Pollock said: “It’s a privilege to be able to join this young, dynamic start-up business. My focus will be to increase Jigcar’s penetration across the top 100 dealer groups and develop new partnerships with OEMs as well as rental and leasing vendors.”

Leasing Options names new head of strategic development

Leasing Options has announced that Christian Butschok-Brain has been promoted to head of strategic development – a new role in the company.

Prior to taking on his new position, Butschok-Brain has worked in Leasing Option’s pricing, optimisation, and sales teams within the company, and will be leading initiatives in areas ranging from training and customer experience to systems development and external partner relationships.

“I’m incredibly proud to be taking on this new role at such an exciting time for Leasing Options,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to helping drive forward key initiatives that will support our team, improve our systems, and ultimately create a better experience for our customers and partners.”

Mike Thompson, chief operating officer at Leasing Options, said: “This new role reflects both Christian’s exceptional ability, the hard work he has put in over the last four years and our ambition as a business to continue our growth.”

Silverstone Leasing appoints account manager and customer care apprentice

Northampton-based vehicle leasing company, Silverstone Leasing, has welcomed Joe Clark and Ned Masalskas to its team.

After leaving his former role as a fleet co-ordinator at a car dealership, Clark has joined Silverstone as an account manager.

Clark said: “I love the fast-paced environment, the opportunity to build strong relationships and the satisfaction that comes from delivering great customer service.”

Masalskas, who previously worked as a business administrator at a software company, is entering the vehicle leasing sector with Silverstone as a customer care apprentice.

“The job is very varied, so I am not doing the same thing twice a day,” said Masalskas.

“I get to talk to customers and make a real impact as the quicker they get their car sorted the quicker they can go about their business.”

Silverstone’s managing director, Scott Norville, said: “It is fantastic to welcome two more new recruits to the Silverstone fold, taking us to four new starters this year so far. We are delighted to be growing the team with such talent and potential, making our team stronger and safeguarding our first-class service.