Fleet Assist names Karen Ewer as new operations director

Fleet Assist has promoted Karen Ewer to the position of operations director.

One of Fleet Assist’s longest-serving employees, Ewer has worked at its Huntingdon HQ for 13 years, the last six as head of business development.

She played a major part in Fleet Assist’s customer growth in 2023 from 40 to 48 leasing, rental and salary sacrifice fleets, where it provides a range of service, maintenance and repair (SMR) services to 1.2 million customer drivers.

Fleet Assist MD Vincent St Claire said: “Karen’s unwavering loyalty and support to customers and Fleet Assist, coupled with her in depth knowledge of our systems and processes makes her an ideal candidate for this new role.”

Ewer added: “The pace at which our customer base and product range has been growing over the past few years has meant Fleet Assist has been a very rewarding place to work.

“I am overjoyed with the news of my promotion and look forward to working with Vincent and the team as we continue to grow.”

Ewer’s previous business development role is being headed up by Joanna Cooper on an interim basis.

Venson Automotive Solutions enhances senior leadership team

Venson Automotive Solutions has enhanced its senior leadership team with the promotion of Lee O’Neill to operations director and the appointment of Brigid Taylor as head of business development and Charlie Bailey as business development manager.

The expansion comes as the fleet management solutions provider relocates its head office to Hampton, south-west London, after outgrowing its former premises. 

With 25 years of experience within the service, maintenance and repair (SMR) industry in both the automotive and fleet sectors and more than 15 years at Venson, the promotion of O’Neill to operations director demonstrates Venson’s commitment to rewarding ‘home-grown’ talent, it said.

Brigid Taylor, meanwhile, boasts a wealth of extensive financial management experience after spending three years with HSBC and more recently, heading the business development team for the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).

As head of business development for Venson, she will use her effective collaborative skills gained at financial institutions by aiming to deliver significant revenue and growth. 

Also joining the business development team is Charlie Bailey, who has substantial experience sourcing new business and exceeding sales targets for a major UK wholesaler.

Samantha Roff (pictured), managing director for Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “As we pass our 30th Anniversary we will stay true to our Customer First ethos and will continue to attract and retain the best possible talent to work with our clients, across all sectors.   

“Our move to significantly larger premises supports our aim of future-proofing the business and our long-term growth.”

AA Business Services welcomes new product marketing manager

The AA has expanded its Business Services marketing team with the appointment of Sue Akam as product marketing manager.

Akam joins the AA with over 25 years marketing experience, having recently held the position of marketing manager at Locks 4 Vans.

She said: “The AA is at the heart of the evolution we’re all experiencing in terms of our vehicles and the way we drive and there’s no better place to be working with products that truly support businesses and drivers on their future journeys.”

Akam’s appointment is the third for the AA Business Services in the past few months.

James Starling, director of business services, AA, said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming Sue to the AA Business Services team.

“Her appointment is a real testament to our continued growth and our dedication to continuing to innovate and develop products and solutions that meet the needs of our customers for today and tomorrow.

“We’re on an exciting journey at the AA as we continue to offer businesses much more than roadside assistance.

“Today we’re a multi-service provider and our people are very much at the heart of the success of this.”

MotoNovo appoints Chris Adams to its leadership team

MotoNovo Finance has appointed Chris Adams to the newly created position of director of pricing and portfolio performance, and he will join the business’ senior leadership team.

He joined MotoNovo from Lloyds Banking Group, where he worked for more than 20 years, most recently as head of pricing and performance for their Black Horse and Lex Autolease businesses.

Prior to this, he was finance director at Black Horse from 2014 to 2019 and, until then, held a number of management roles across the wider banking group. 

Richard Jones, managing director of MotoNovo, said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming Chris to join our business. He will be a key member of my team as we deliver on our strategy to develop MotoNovo into a broad-based motor finance business that puts outstanding customer service at the heart of everything we do.”

Adams added: “I can’t wait to get started and join the team at MotoNovo. This is a great business – I’m excited about what we can do together to build a first-class service for our customers.”

CoolKit makes operations director appointment

CoolKit has appointed Joe Gleave, who has held a succession of top managerial roles, as its new operations director. 

Gleave says he has joined CoolKit to implement the transformation required to grow in line with the company’s business plan to double output within three years.

After leaving Sheffield University with a MEng honours degree specialising in Aerospace Engineering, Greave progressed from a manufacturing engineer with 3M Health Care to Site MT Leader and Lean Six Sigma Coach. 

From there he rose through the ranks to Pratt & Whitney value streams operations director at RLC Aerospace before becoming UK plant director at the Aqualung Group, where he was responsible for the manufacturing operation in the UK as managing director of Apeks Marine Equipment. 

He said: “I believe with the highly capable staff we have there is a mass amount of optimisation that can be done in the new factory which will result in us being able to satisfy even more customers quickly and more reliably. 

“I will be working with the team in the factory so we can ensure it’s optimised to meet and exceed our exciting sales targets.” 

CoolKit’s MD Daniel Miller said: “We have been fortunate in being able to appoint such an outstandingly experienced operations director as Joe. 

“He has all the qualities we were looking for to help move the business forward. He is a consummate professional in his field and I am excited about the business’s future success as Joe joins an executive team that has made a transformational change over the last 12 months.” 

Simplicity Group announces new managing director to spearhead growth

Simplicity Group has announced the promotion of Jamie Marsh to managing director.

Harry Girvan, founder and CEO of both Simplicity Group and Mantis Live, will maintain his role in steering the overarching strategic direction.

The appointment of Marsh allows him to concentrate on broader growth strategies and initiatives within both companies.

Marsh steps up from his role as sales director, a position he has held for the past decade.

The company's strategic focus remains on delivering fully managed communications and technology solutions, include telematics, and vehicle camera systems.

Marsh said: “I am thrilled to take the helm as managing director. Simplicity Group stands at the forefront of innovation in our industry, and I am committed to driving our growth, setting new benchmarks, and leading our talented team to even greater achievements.”

DeliveryApp makes two board level promotions 

DeliveryApp, specialists in on-demand logistics, has announced two board level promotions as it targets its third successive year of growth.  

Stephen Gell joined the business in July as partnerships director having spent the past 19 years as a business development manager for DPD.

After a successful six months, recognising Gell’s hard work for the business affecting change and helping to drive the business forward, Gell has been promoted to sales director and will now sit on the DeliveryApp board. 

Gemma Phillips joined the business in September as partnership’s director having previously worked at Speedy Freight as a business development manager for the past three years.

She has been promoted to strategic business director, a newly created board level role.  

Lance Jones, founder and chief executive officer of DeliveryApp, said: “DeliveryApp continues to go from strength-to-strength, growing our loyal driver and customer base and evolving our technology.

“At the heart of the business is our amazing talent, people who have the opportunity to excel in this exciting and dynamic business environment.

“Gemma and Stephen are testament to that, two senior hires who in a short space of time have captured the very energy of our business, brought change and helped to drive it forward.

“We’re delighted to recognise their hard work, promoting Gemma and Stephen to the DeliveryApp board and look forward to seeing what they can achieve over the coming months and years.” 

BSI names Harold Pradal as head of global Assurance business

BSI has appointed Harold Pradal to head its global Assurance Services Division.

Pradal takes on the role of president, Assurance Services, nearly five years after joining BSI as the group chief commercial officer, following 16 years in senior strategic and operational leadership roles at International SOS and GE Healthcare.

He said: “I am humbled to lead BSI’s Assurance division, and excited by our mission to help solve global societal challenges from sustainability to digital security and other critical issues like modern slavery”.

Additionally, Pradal has been appointed as a board member of the Independent International Organisation for Assurance (IIOA) to represent BSI.