Patrick McGillycuddy has been in the automotive industry for the past eight years with roles at GM, Peter Vardy and Vauxhall. He has been head of fleet at Skoda since August last year.

First fleet role: National corporate sales manager for Vauxhall. It is great working in the fleet industry as there are many different areas to work across. The industry is a complex area requiring the management of a lot of different stakeholders. Every day brings a new challenge as we aim to drive Škoda forward across the sector.  

Biggest career influence: My mum and dad have had the biggest influence on my career because of the journey that we have been on as a family. We moved to the UK from Ireland when I was four. I am one of seven brothers and sisters, so mum and dad had a real
challenge! Through a lot of hard work, dad professionally and mum at home, we all had everything we needed and more to become the best we can be.

Biggest business achievement: My biggest achievements so far have actually been in the past four months at Škoda. We have a great team here and they are dedicated to making Škoda a success. We have seen some major account wins with some of the largest fleet operators in the UK, a sign of our growing capability and the hard work of the team.

Leadership style: Clear and decisive. By working together on agreeing a vision and a very clear focus on end results, the team can then work on how they deliver the results with very clear direction and support from me.

If I wasn’t in fleet: I would have loved to have been a professional rugby player as I have always had a passion for the sport having played it for many years. I don’t think there is a better sport for teaching the importance of team work, playing hard and winning.

Childhood ambition: It was to be a very successful businessman which came from my dad’s dedication and drive. I grew up with a love for cars, so I always knew that this was an industry that I wanted to work in.

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