FORD has expanded the role and remit of its pan-European fleet operation to deal with the burgeoning corporate demand for cross-border vehicle solutions. The expansion adds fleet, leasing and remarketing responsibilities to the department's traditional focus on the daily rental sector. Ford already has scores of customers running thousands of vehicles in different European countries, and the enlarged pan-European department recognises their requirement for greater centralisation in their fleet business.

'Most of our customers across Europe who have a multi-market presence are saying they would like to have a single point of contact to find out what is going on in different countries,' said Roland Huet-Gundill, Ford's manager, pan-European, fleet, rental, leasing, and remarketing operations. He joined the department from Ford Credit five months ago, following a career which saw him launch Avis's van and truck rental operation in France, and establish Barclays Mercantile's Dial full service leasing operations in France and Spain.

'If there is more demand from customers for harmonisation of distribution or processes, then there is obviously a need for centralisation as far as a manufacturer is concerned, because you cannot harmonise in 19 separate markets,' said Huet-Gundill. 'There is a need to understand the issues at hand, and to appreciate the needs of a big international company based in a mature market.'