PHH Vehicle Management Services' managing director David Knight is taking up a new non-executive director role within PHH Vehicle Management from May 1. The change follows the dramatic expansion of American-owned PHH Corporation which began following its acquisition by American-owned HFS.

Subsequently HFS merged with CUC International to form the giant Cendent Corporation - one of the world's top 30 companies. Since then the company has bought fleet management rival Fleet Cost Management, Harpur UK, which owned PHH AllStar fuel card rivals Overdrive and Dialcard, and more recently announced the proposed £800 million acquisition of National Parking Corporation, which owns Green Flag and NCP car parks.

This week it was announced that Knight was the first member of a new non-executive board of directors which will report into PHH VMS president John Cullum. Other members of the board will be appointed in due course, recruited from different areas of business. Knight, who joined Swindon-based PHH 18 years ago, said: 'I am moving away from day-to-day operations. I shall be taking on a more strategic perspective and looking at the future direction of PHH Vehicle Management.'