Cunningham is new BVRLA chairman

Neil Cunningham has taken over as the new chairman of the BVRLA, replacing LeasePlan’s Kevin McNally who has completed his two-year term.

Currently general manger of Hertz UK, Cunningham has more than 25-years’ experience of the rental industry in Europe and the UK, working with cars and commercial vehicles.

“We must continue to lobby the government and its motoring agencies to reduce the amount of bureaucracy and paperwork associated with owning and operating fleets,” he said.

“I am also keen that we build on our relationships with manufacturers. There have been some tensions in recent times, but we can work through these and develop a longer-term, proactive relationship between our two industries.”

He added: “Kevin McNally has been an excellent chairman whose energy and positive attitude helped steer the association and the industry through some tough years following the Credit Crunch.”

Also taking the helm is Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solution’s Simon Oliphant, who becomes the new chairman of the Leasing and Fleet Management Committee. David Brennan of LeasePlan becomes vice-chairman after completing his two-year term.

Oliphant believes that the biggest challenges facing the sector are; the cost and availability of funding; proposed lease accounting changes; and the fleet adoption of electric and alternatively-fuelled vehicles.

Meanwhile, Mike Lloyd of Central Contracts has completed his two-year term and steps down as chairman of the Leasing Broker Committee, handing over to Martin Brown of Fleet Alliance.

Brown said his committee’s principal aims would be enhancing the visibility of the leasing broker sector and ensuring that it has a robust relationship with manufacturers and funders.