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Prohire names new chief financial officer
Prohire has appointed Susan Shardlow as chief financial officer (CFO), having been interim CFO at the business since December 2023.
With 30 years’ experience working for both corporate and private equity-backed organisations, she will play a key role in Prohire’s growth strategy.
A qualified accountant, Shardlow most recently held the role of interim CFO at Taziker, a multi-discipline specialist contractor, providing protective coatings, structural refurbishments and strengthening throughout the UK.
She is a non-executive director for Hanley Economic Building Society and was a board member and chair of audit for the Staffordshire Housing Group for more than nine years.
Shardlow said: “Prohire is a growing business with an exciting future, and I’m delighted to join the team on a permanent basis.
“I’m looking forward to helping Prohire, and its EV and alternative fuels division Progreen, continue to scale through a structured approach which adds value to every area of the business.”
Jay Edwards, managing director at Prohire, added: “Susan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Prohire, particularly financial and operational expertise gained at private equity-backed companies with ambitious growth objectives.
“I’m delighted that she has become a permanent member of the team as we continue in our mission to lead the charge in sustainable vehicle hire.”
Andrew Morley joins Asset Alliance Group as commercial director
Asset Alliance Group has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of Andrew Morley as commercial director within its commercial vehicle division.
Morley joins the company from Petit Forestier, the refrigerated commercial vehicle hire business, where he held the same position.
He said: “The strength of the Asset Alliance Group brand, its comprehensive range of financial offers, and its best-in-class fleet management and compliance capabilities were a huge draw.
“I look forward to bringing my skills and experience to bear to ensure the business continues to innovate and set the pace in the commercial vehicle sector.”
Morley’s experience includes 14 years as group sales director at Prohire, where he was instrumental in developing their electric vehicle proposition.
He has also held the role of sales and marketing director at Schmitz Cargobull UK and Ireland during a successful career in the materials handling and commercial vehicle sectors.
Working alongside Paul Wright, sales director at Asset Alliance Group, Morley is tasked with driving the business’s contract hire, leasing, and rental activity to new heights as it continues to broaden its alternative fuels offer. He will report to group MD Michael Bycroft.
Willie Paterson, chief executive at Asset Alliance Group, said: “Andrew’s proven ability to bring new products to market, and his breadth of experience including with alternative fuels will play a pivotal role in Asset Alliance Group’s development as we support our customers with their decarbonisation journeys.”
Morley’s appointment comes after the recruitment of Rob Gwynn as strategic development manager at the start of the year.
Gwynn is working on increasing the number of alternative fuelled vehicles in the business’s fleet, amongst other projects to drive sustainability.
Packfleet appoints CFO to support London growth
Packfleet has appointed of Robert Collings as chief financial officer, having previously been the company’s head of finance.
The chartered accountant recently supported the business through its recent Series A fundraise, in which Packfleet secured over £8 million from General Catalyst and Voyager Ventures.
Off the back of the fundraise, Collings’ expertise will help bolster Packfleet’s established presence in the London delivery market and support the courier’s increasing roster of merchants, it says.
Before joining Packfleet, he worked with a range of high growth, tech-focused companies both internally and externally, managing teams across the Finance, Legal, Compliance and People departments.
Tristan Thomas, CEO of Packfleet, said: “It’s been a pleasure having Rob as our Head of Finance for the past 18 months.
“Post-fundraise, we’re entering a pivotal phase of growth, and it’s vital that we have a trusted member of the team ensuring we’re spending that money in the right way.
“A year and a half ago, his experience made him a perfect fit for Packfleet. Now, it’s only natural that he becomes our CFO.”
Collings added: “It’s been an incredible journey since I first started working at Packfleet back in 2022, and it’s great to be stepping up into the role of CFO.
“Startups are an amazing place to garner experience, and after supporting the business through our Series A fundraise and the start of our nationwide expansion, I’m excited to continue the journey.
“Packfleet is doing great work in the logistics sector, and is driving real industry change, and I’m proud to be at the forefront.”
IMI announces executive team for ‘changing automotive landscape’
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has announced the strategic transition of its executive team to position the organisation for the challenges and opportunities ahead in the automotive sector.
The new team will provide strategic and day-to-day direction for the organisation’s 118 employees and more than 110,000 members, enabling the IMI board to begin recruiting a permanent executive team within the next 12 months.
During this period of transition, the board has appointed Kevin Finn (pictured), who has been chair of the IMI since 2020, in the newly created role of executive chair.
Azlina Bulmer has been appointed as MD with responsibility for the overall management, organisation and staffing of the IMI.
Simon Barrell has been appointed as chief financial officer.
Steve Nash will remain as CEO, with a revised remit to solely focus on supporting and maintaining IMI’s external influence, before stepping down once a suitable replacement has been recruited.
Finn said: “As the professional body for people in automotive, the IMI remains committed to our community of over 110,000 members and the future success of the sector.
“The combination of insight and expertise from outside the industry alongside the wealth of automotive and skills experience already on our board puts the IMI in the strongest position to help our members and the wider automotive community prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
“We would also like to thank Steve Nash for his long-standing commitment, having been directly involved at the Institute for over 22 years, as chairman, president and, since January 2013, CEO.”
Greenhouse appoints new dealer principal
Greenhous Group has announced the appointment of Craig Norton as its new dealer principal at their Greenhous Telford dealership.
He will succeed Steve Thomas, who is retiring after a distinguished 45-years within Greenhous.
Craig Norton joins Greenhous Telford – a specialist Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen dealership – with a wealth of experience in the automotive sector and the Stellantis brand line-up, having previously worked as general manager and sales manager at W R Davies Group over the past 16 years and more recently represented DS Automobiles network as chair for the franchise board.
Danny Minshall, regional retail director at Greenhous Group, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Craig to the business, who joins us with a fantastic track record. His in-depth knowledge of the Stellantis range will help him hit the ground running in this new role and we’re excited to see how Craig’s skills and insights will help to continue Greenhous Group’s growth.”
Norton added: “I’m thrilled to join Greenhous Group, a company renowned for its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. I look forward to working with the team at Telford to strengthen and grow the outstanding service we already provide to our customers.”
Road Peace welcomes Kate Davidson as new CEO
Road Peace, the national charity for road crash victims, has appointed Kate Davidson as its new chief executive officer.
She will officially begin her role on September 30, bringing more than 15 years of experience in the bereavement and end-of-life sector.
Davidson succeeds Nick Simmons, who stepped down as CEO earlier this year after six years in the role.
She said: “I am so excited to be joining Road Peace, and in bringing my experience of leadership within the bereavement services and end-of-life care profession, I look forward to making a real difference to people with this inspirational and important organisation.”
Petra Kendall-Raynor, Road Peace chair of the board of trustees, added: “We are delighted to welcome Kate to Road Peace.
“Her vast experience and unwavering commitment to supporting the bereaved align perfectly with our mission.
“We look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly have on our organisation and the communities we serve.”