FORD Credit has overhauled and refocused its fleet funding operation to increase substantially the proportion of Ford vehicles it finances for businesses. This has led to the creation of Ford Fleet and Commercial Operations under director Allan Frode, bringing together Ford Credit's existing fleet and commercial sales functions. Ford Contract Motoring has now become a brand name within Fleet and Commercial Operations.

'Our share of Ford's retail business is 47%, but our share of the fleet and business market has dropped,' said Frode. 'We want to try to stretch ourselves to the same level of penetration as in the retail sector, and there is no reason why we should not achieve as much or more market share in the business sector.'

This translates to a five-year plan which aims to increase the penetration of Ford Credit's funding of Ford fleet car sales to 35%, from 30% and to 23% of Ford's commercial vehicle sales compared to today's figure of 16%. Steve Clary has been appointed national sales manager of Fleet and Commercial Operations, which will mount a two-pronged assault on the market via Business Centres and a corporate accounts team for fleets of over 500 vehicles.