Thrifty appoints Stuart Russell to head up FlexiFleet long-term rental

Stuart Russell has joined Thrifty Car & Van Rental as director of its FlexiFleet division to grow the long-term rental offering.

Having held senior management roles since the late 1990s, Russell has developed a specialism in long-term and flexible vehicle rental products. He joins Thrifty following a decade-long stint at Europcar and has previously held leadership positions at Arval and Northgate Vehicle Solutions.

Thrifty’s long-term rental product, FlexiFleet, has seen significant year-on-year growth since its inception in 2017. Russell will be tasked with further developing FlexiFleet to ensure it capitalises on a growing number of customers looking for a more flexible subscription-based mobility solution.

He said: “The diversity of Thrifty’s fleet and geographical coverage perfectly positions FlexiFleet to lead the long-term rental and car subscription market. I’m delighted to be leading Thrifty’s FlexiFleet offering at a time of such great potential, and I hope to maximise every opportunity to achieve success.”

Martin Wilson, managing director of Thrifty Car & Van Rental UK, says he is “delighted” to welcome Russell to the team at Thrifty.

“Following the pandemic, and ongoing economic uncertainty, we are seeing a seismic shift in how individuals and businesses source their vehicles,” continued Wilson.

“We believe our FlexiFleet offering is well-placed to capitalise as trends in the industry change and I have every confidence that with Stuart at the helm we will enjoy much success.”