Industry jobs: Roles filled at Lex Autolease, Sogo, Fleet Operations and Drive Software Solutions

Lex Autolease strengthens electric fleet team

Lloyds Banking Motor Finance and Leasing has made two new senior appointments to help strengthen its sustainability proposition.

Meryem Brassington has been appointed to the role of electrification propositions lead, where she will be responsible for leading the sustainability agenda across Lex Autolease and Black Horse, helping to electrify the remainder of the business’s fleet while supporting customers in their transition towards a zero-emission future.

Brassington brings two decades of experience in financial services to the team, with the last four years spent working across the bank’s vehicle leasing businesses.

Iryna Kocharova has also been appointed to the role of head of corporate customer journey and sustainability where she will lead the development of the electrification strategy and create a long-term vision for the corporate customer journey process.

Kocharova has worked in customer strategy roles at Lloyds for more than ten years.

Lloyd’s Banking Group is a member of the EV100, the company said the dual appointment reaffirms its ambition to help reduce the carbon emissions it finances by more than 50% by 2030.

Richard Jones, managing director of Motor Finance and Leasing, said: “We have a clear ambition to support the UK’s transition towards a zero-emission future by helping our clients along their journey to electrification.

“With Meryem and Iryna’s leadership, we will continue to help businesses and personal consumers review their transportation needs and offer practical solutions to support the transition towards electric vehicles.”

New head of remarketing appointed at Sogo

Leasing company, Sogo, has appointed Tristan Downs (pictured) as its first head of remarketing.

In his new role, Downs will manage the defleet and disposal of the company’s fleet and will work closely with operations across the leasing company to ensure whole life costs are optimised and manufacturers’ brands protected, the company said.

Karl Howkins, managing director of Sogo, said: “Tristan brings a great deal of experience and industry knowledge to the role. He brings a holistic view of the industry and managing whole life costs which will be vital to driving efficiency across our operations and enabling us to offer customers great value.”

Previously, Downs has held senior roles in sales and remarketing at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) UK along with Vauxhall and dealer groups.

Sogo launched last year with a promise of 'ultra-flexible' leasing.

The company announced that over 35% of its fleet will be electric vehicles (EVs) and anticipates this will increase over the coming months.

Fleet Operations welcomes new business development manager

Fleet Operations has appointed Mark Gallagher as business development manager to help support the company’s growth plans.

In his new role, Gallagher will explore new opportunities to accelerate the growth of Fleet Operations’ client base, the company said.

Gallagher brings more than 20 years’ experience in the fleet industry, including having worked at The Grosvenor Group as head of Ozone for more than five years and business development manager (FleetLine) at Leaseplan.

Fleet Operations said in his previous roles, Gallagher spearheaded and developed solutions to aid businesses in transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs).

Jayne Pett, sales and marketing manager at Fleet Operations, said: “Mark has a wealth of business development and fleet experience and will prove a fantastic addition to the team.

“Having successfully implemented award-winning green solutions in his previous roles, we are confident he will be a huge asset to Fleet Operations, helping deliver on our strategic goals.”

Commenting on his appointment, Gallagher said: “As the fleet industry readies itself for recovery in the wake of the pandemic, companies will be looking at how they can best reduce costs and drive greater levels of efficiency.

“Having spent many years involved with both leasing and fleet management, I aim to utilise my career expertise to propel the business forward.”

Drive Software Solutions announces new Board member

Stephen Doran has joined the Drive Software Solutions board as non-executive director.

Doran has a career spanning some 35 years, mainly in senior and executive positions in technology companies and has been involved in vehicle management and telematics since creating the programme for Norwich Union/Aviva that led to the development of pay-as-you-drive insurance for young drivers.

Doran went on to lead and grow Tracker limited and oversaw the sale of the business in 2014. In 2015, he built Ecofleet, a fleet management company based in Estonia, to around 100,000 vehicles under management before selling the business in 2018.

He has also lived and worked throughout the Nordics, Baltics, France, Germany, the USA, and the UK: managing global teams for organisations including Apple, Aviva, Direct Line, Arqiva, Tracker, BrightGen and Ecofleet.

Richard Parris, chairman and CEO of Drive Software Solutions, said “Stephen brings a wealth of innovative technology and fleet experience with him to the Drive team.

“His skillset and knowledge, coupled with the strong backing of Viva Investment Partners and the phenomenal momentum the new management team has already generated, gives us great belief in our ability to shape the future of the dynamic and evolving mobility sector”.