For a quiet and unassuming man, Avon’s car fleet and business travel manager Gerard Finn has seen his public profile rocket this year.
Two Fleet News Awards for his pioneering work on the fleet of the global cosmetic giant started the ball rolling back in March, and in June he was named as one of the 25 most influential people in our Green Power List (Fleet News, June 25).
Now he is sharing his knowledge with a wider audience, including his first public speaking stint at the Fleet News Green Summit back in July.
Gerard Finn CV
2003-date: Avon Cosmetics, car fleet and business travel manager.
1998-2003: Prudential Assurance, various roles including fleet.
1985-1998: Bejam Frozen Foods, maintenance controller and fleet.
Education: Willesden College of Technology – motor vehicle engineering.
Car: Vauxhall Insignia.
Personal: Married with three children and a grandson.
Hobbies: Includes motorbikes and photography.
Amazed to win
Finn said: “The awards were brilliant and I was amazed we won two of them – these are the first awards for me and the Avon fleet and they reinforce that we are good at what we do. My heart-rate certainly went up when the shortlists for the awards were announced.”
A good year so far then, and a cause of additional celebration for Avon, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in the UK this year.
Avon won the boardroom initiative of the year title for its ‘Hello green tomorrow’ plan which sets out stringent environmental milestones the company must meet by 2020, while Finn was also honoured with the fleet manager of the year – 401-plus vehicles award for his work in raising the fleet agenda with management and implementing numerous initiatives.
But despite the personal plaudits, he is quick to share the glory: “Shane Lever and Malcolm Eady, who work with me, are the guys who do most of the work.”
Avon’s UK fleet is split between 400 essential users and 170 management cars. There are a further 120 drivers who receive a cash allowance. Avon does not operate LCVs – the van operation is outsourced as Finn says it was ‘a nightmare to run’.
The essential user fleet, people who are area managers for the 150,000 Avon representatives around the UK who deliver brochures, is made up of 100 Vauxhall Merivas and 300 Astras – the latter being solely Ecoflex low emission models. Management grade brings in a choice of models from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Last year, Finn began a policy of moving to sub-120g/km models such as the Astra Ecoflex, and as a result the fleet’s average CO2 emissions has fallen to 129g/km from 137g/km in 2008.
He added: “We haven’t introduced a cap on CO2 – people have migrated away from higher-emission models. They are voting with their wallets as drivers are now far more aware of tax costs.”
Financial savings
The focus on lower CO2 is not just in the name of jumping on the environmental bandwagon – it’s about the financial side, too.
The Ecoflex models, despite their higher purchase price, are saving £13 a month per car in reduced costs – fuel and National Insurance – without factoring in the benefit-in-kind savings for drivers.
The low-emission models will also be easier to sell on once they finish their fleet life at Avon.
Finn added: “Used buyers will prefer to buy a car with £30 VED in two or three years’ time.”
Finn finance leases the fleet with GE – Avon orders the cars through a dealer, the vehicles are registered to Avon and it remarkets them too. This brings flexibility to the operation.
Finn added: “Finance lease is nice and simple for us. We set the residual values and carry out refurbishment on the vehicles prior to defleet so they are sold at ready to retail standard.
“Our essential user fleet receives a lot of minor dents and scratches during their working life, and between 30 and 40% need refurbishment before going to be sold.”
Finance lease also allows Avon to manage the life of its vehicles, especially in allowing a car to stay on fleet for another three or six months. Currently, Avon replaces at three years – “in the fourth year, the interiors take more of a pounding so they are going to lose money”, adds Finn.
Aside from taking a very hands-on approach to the fleet (which includes regular driver training and risk management profiling), Finn’s role also incorporates running the catering department, the post room, cleaning staff and managing business travel in terms of train and plane journeys.
And in his ‘spare’ time, Finn is embarking on creating a global fleet policy for Avon which will involve around 6,000 vehicles from the company’s operations.
Part of the firm’s ‘Hello green tomorrow’ pledge, he has set a target of the company only buying cars that emit less than 100g/km of CO2 by 2015.
Ultimately, he wants the Avon fleet to be zero-emission by 2020 (Fleet News, June 4).
Finn and his team took control of the firm’s global fleet policy in 2006 and he is currently in the process of reviewing the contract, which expires at the end of this year.
He added: “While price is critical, especially in the current climate, it is important for us to have this environmental milestone to aim for and this will form a large part of the conversations we have with manufacturers.”
Expect to see Gerard Finn’s profile rise even higher in the coming years.
Company profile
Name: Avon Cosmetics
Business: Global beauty and related products company
Head office: Northampton
Car fleet and business travel manager: Gerard Finn
Length of time in job: Six years
Fleet size: 570 cars (400 essential user, 170 management) plus 120 cash allowance drivers
Funding method: Finance lease with GE
Replacement cycle: Three years
Car brands: GM for essential users, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz for management grade
Average fleet CO2 emissions: 129g/km
Winning fleet tips
Keep senior management informed with weekly one-line updates on your current issues.
Take time out to visit dealers, auctions, etc, to increase your knowledge and fully appreciate how the fleet industry works.
Develop your fleet strategy so that you have a goal – it helps when making decisions.
Be prepared to take a risk – the future does not belong to the fainthearted.
Keep up-to-date – read the fleet press, attend conferences and join ACFO and the ICFM.
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