Industry jobs: Roles filled at FleetCheck, The AI Corporation, Schmitz Cargobull, BeEv, Hived and Oxa

Sarah Bengochea appointed head of marketing at FleetCheck

Sarah Bengochea has been appointed as the first ever head of marketing at fleet software specialist FleetCheck.

She will be responsible for a wide range of activities including customer communications and education, brand building and positioning, lead generation, sales team support, and production of literature and promotions.

Her experience includes being marketing director at human resources technology specialist Avature, marketing manager at teacher learning platform Iris Connect, and extensive freelance marketing work for a diverse portfolio of brands.

She said: “My job will be to help the brand grow by making the company the go-to resource for fleet managers – educating, supporting, and empowering them to do their jobs efficiently while ensuring their teams get home safely every night.

“We will also develop communication strategies that prioritise the customer, enhancing their product usage and value, and creating feedback loops that directly inform and shape the ongoing development of FleetCheck’s solutions.”

Peter Golding, CEO, added: “We created a demanding brief for our first head of marketing and are pleased to say that she not just fulfils those requirements but also brings a range of additional skills and talents, as well as a great deal of enthusiasm. I’m sure that her contribution to the development of FleetCheck will be considerable.”

Schmitz Cargobull appoints network raining and support manager

Schmitz Cargobull has appointed David Darrington to the newly created role of network raining and support manager for the UK and Ireland.

In his new position, Darrington is responsible for training technicians across Schmitz Cargobull’s 72-strong service partner network in the UK and Ireland to ensure they deliver the highest standards when servicing the manufacturer’s S.CU refrigeration units.

“I’ll be out in the field supporting our network directly, working with the technicians to boost their skills, introduce new products and ensure that we deliver an excellent, consistent service,” he said.

Darrington, a mechanical engineer, will also be point of contact for Schmitz Cargobull’s telematics system, TrailerConnect, and Smart management services, which are used across its temperature-controlled trailer products.

Previously, he was technical training manager at Marshall Fleet Solutions where he trained the company’s workforce of mobile refrigeration technicians on Thermo-King products.

Darrington holds a City & Guilds Level 3 in Electric and Hybrid Vehicle System Repair and a teaching qualification from Nottingham City College.

He has also been involved in an ongoing project with the City of Liverpool College to develop the first dedicated transport refrigeration engineer qualification.

He will be pivotal in the creation of a training academy at the manufacturer’s used trailers site in Whitchurch, Shropshire, in the coming year. The facility will act as a centre of excellence for refrigeration systems, arming a new generation of technicians with crucial skills.

It is the first time that Schmitz Cargobull has had a dedicated trainer based in the UK and Ireland.

AI Corporation appoints Mark Wheelhouse as CFO

The AI Corporation has appointed Mark Wheelhouse as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

He will lead the company’s finance department and play a key role in driving the company’s ambitious growth strategy in the retail fuel, mobility payments and fraud management markets.

Piers Horak, CEO of The AI Corporation, said: “Mark’s hire represents a significant step in elevating our financial and operational leadership, as we continue to expand our market presence, invest in the company and our cutting-edge technology.

“Mark will be instrumental in optimising our financial resources and positioning ai for future growth opportunities. His expertise in scaling ambitious companies aligns perfectly with our strategic objectives, and we are confident that his leadership will contribute significantly to our ongoing success.”

Prior to joining, Wheelhouse served as the CFO of Cyacomb and operated his own CFO consultancy.

He said: “I’m thrilled to be joining a true market leader at such an exciting time and partnering with the team to drive the next phase of ai’s growth.”

Hived appoints Andrew Baker as new VP sales

All-electric delivery company, Hived has announced logistics and supply chain professional Andrew Baker as its new vice president of sales. 

With more than 20 years of experience in the logistics and supply chain sector, he will be responsible for taking Hived’s sales growth to the next level through building out its sales function and onboarding new retail partners. 

He joins from DHL Supply Chain, where he worked as business development director for ecommerce and retail business unity.

Prior to his role at DHL, he spent 18 years at DPD in various commercial roles.

He said: “Delivery is an industry that’s ripe for disruption and Hived is the company disrupting it.

“It’s an exciting vision and one that I stand firmly behind - I’m delighted to have joined HIVED.”

Murvah Iqbal, co-CEO and co-founder of Hived, added: “Andrew has vast experience and deep understanding of the logistics and delivery sector.

“This experience is going to be invaluable to the ongoing success of HIVED and I can’t wait to see Andrew’s contribution to the future of the company.” 

BeEV appoints new board members to accelerate national expansion

Manchester-based EV charging business BeEV has bolstered its non-executive team with a series of appointments to its board.

The new board appointments have been brought in to provide governance and support to the executive team as they look to expand with retail and land management partners, and increase utilisation of their chargers while maintaining a customer-first focus, which is at the core of the brand.

BeEV confirmed the appointments in their latest board meeting. 

Garren Nahabedian joins the Board from the Octopus Energy Group, who brings his extensive knowledge of technology and electric vehicles from his role as head of partnerships at the pioneering global public charging app, Octopus Electroverse. 

Also joining the board is Marie-France van Heel, chief customer officer at BeEV, who brings experience from a long-standing career in marketing and customer strategy in both B2C and B2B having worked with brands like Sky, P&G, the Natural History Museum and Disney. 

In addition, Richard Powell steps up to non-executive director. An established strategic advisor to BeEV, he brings extensive knowledge and experience in the real estate sector, one of the key growth areas for BeEV. 

Powell is CEO of Latchmoor Properties, an advisory business promoting large mixed-use development projects across the UK, and previously worked within HM Treasury. 

John Mothersole, also a strategic advisor to BeEV, is the former CEO of Sheffield City Council and most recently sat on the Grenfell Inquiry and will attend the board as an observer. 

Will Stratton-Morris, chair of the board of BeEV, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Marie-France, Garren, Richard and John to the Board. Each of these individuals bring a specific skill set and market knowledge to the board, which will be critical as this dynamic company continues to grow and create value.”

Oxa appoints Julia Steyn as non-executive director

Oxa, a provider of self-driving vehicle software, has announced the appointment of Julia Steyn to its board of directors as non-executive director, effective immediately.

She brings a wealth of experience in transportation, mobility and automotive technology to Oxa and currently serves as chief commercial officer at VectoIQ, an investment firm focused on special situations investment within the automotive technology sector.

She has held several senior leadership roles throughout her career - including founder and CEO of Maven, the shared mobility marketplace owned by General Motors; CEO of Bolt Mobility; and vice president at Goldman Sachs.

She is also a senior advisor to McKinsey, with a focus on the mobility space and corporate innovation - and currently serves on the board of Garrett Motion, Metalsa, and Commonwealth Rolling Products.

“Her deep expertise and proven track record will be invaluable in supporting the scaling of Oxa’s autonomous solutions within our immediate target categories of shared passenger transportation and industrial logistics,” said Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxa. “We look forward to the perspectives and opportunities that the appointment will bring.”