Paul Probert joins the company as operations director, bringing his extensive experience in the distribution and logistics sectors to the company, after 25 years with Ryder, where his most recent role was also as operations director.

Dominic Hutchinson is also joining the team as head of operations at Holman’s Chippenham headquarters, whilst Iain Palmer has been recruited as head of operations at the company’s new Birmingham office, with Gemma Towers appointed as operations manager.

The appointments come as Holman continues to win new business through multiple contract wins, including the recently awarded BT Group contract which will see Holman provide a raft of fleet services to BT Group – the initial seven-year deal will see it providing service, maintenance, and repair, portfolio management, glass replacement, and pool vehicle/rental management to the fleet of around 37,000 commercial vehicles.

Nick Caller, Holman UK managing director, said: "During this transformative period for our business, these appointments serve as a clear demonstration of our unwavering dedication to our customers.

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“I have full confidence that as we attract even more new customers, their contributions will have a significant impact, guaranteeing the consistent delivery of excellent customer service to all of our clients, regardless of the number of vehicles they operate.”

Paul Probert added: “Holman is a company with a great reputation for doing the right thing. I am excited about leading the operations team and to create a step change in the capability of operational execution.”

Hutchinson who joins Holman from Novuna, where he was fleet services m, added: "Holman is a growing business and has picked up some great new customers. I am looking forward to playing my part in this exciting journey and working with the talented teams we have here at Holman.”

Palmer brings 15 years of experience from his time at Ryder, where he held various roles, including central operations manager. He said: “I’m looking forward to establishing this new operation on behalf of BT, transforming the service delivery to provide industry-leading standards and ultimately benefiting Holman's other customers as well.”

Towers joins Holman from Zenith Vehicle Contracts, where she served as the customer service manager for driver management. She added: “It’s exciting to join Holman during this pivotal time, participating in the establishment of the new Birmingham office, recruiting an entire department, implementing new processes and suppliers, and ensuring the success of the BT contract.”

The post Holman boosts team with senior appointments appeared first on Motor Transport.

O'Halloran brings 30 years of experience in sales to her new post. She joins Pall-Ex from DX Group where she held the role of national business development manager, specialising in selling courier services.

Before joining DX Group in June 2021, O'Halloran worked for software development firm Quadient as a corporate retail specialist, having joined from parcel delivery firm P2P where she was national business development manager.

O'Halloran's experience also includes over six years with Parcelforce Worldwide, where she held the post of corporate business development manager, and area sales manager at Target Express, where she managed sales teams and earned a number of awards over 11 years.

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In her new role, O'Halloran is tasked with building a robust pipeline of corporate accounts and travelling across the UK to engage with customers and promote Pall-Ex services.

Her key responsibilities include focusing on new business and exploring diverse sectors, with the aim to grow market share significantly. 

Michelle Naylor, Pall-Ex commercial director, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Bridie to our team. Her extensive experience and proven track record in sales and logistics will undoubtedly drive Pall-Ex to new heights. We look forward to achieving market share growth and enhancing our presence in various sectors under her leadership.”

O'Halloran added: "I’m delighted to join Pall-Ex, I was especially drawn by the passion and commitment of the team I met during the interview process.

"The member-owned structure of the company and the advanced IT capabilities, notably the impressive tracking and ETA features, were also key factors in my decision. I’m looking forward to contributing to the company’s success.”

The post Pall-Ex appoints Bridie O’Halloran as corporate sales director appeared first on Motor Transport.

Fresh from confirmation it had received £300,000 in government funding to continue its campaign to put logistics on the map for school leavers for a second year, the campaign said it would help teachers download logistics-themed resources for classes in maths, business studies and geography.

In addition, Generation Logistics will create a careers guide to logistics for every school and college in the UK, featuring case studies from sponsors as well as information about a range of careers in the industry.

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It said over 40 companies and industry organisations had now signed up to be part of the campaign.
Generation Logistics executive sponsor Phil Roe said, “When we set up Generation Logistics, we were adamant it had to be a cross-industry campaign and we are delighted to have such a wide range of organisations on board for our next phase.

“In the first year it has been heartening seeing the industry working together for the common good of the profession and I’m positive this will continue into year two of the campaign.”

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “We want the freight and logistics sector to retain and attract diverse talent from across the whole country. That is why we have invested £645,000 over two years as part of our Future of Freight Plan to make the Generation Logistics campaign a success.”

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Rayner previously held roles at the Hazchem Network, TPN and Birmingham-based Pallet-Track shareholder member PGS Global Logistics.

She said: “My overall goal is to ensure the network remains robust and resilient for the future so we can continue to deliver service excellence.

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“Member engagement is one of our priorities and we will take a strategic approach to growing and strengthening the network for the future.”

Lee Chambers, Pallet-Track CCO, said: “Kerry is a seasoned logistics professional and a well-known name in the industry, with a proven track record in the sector.

“We are very pleased to welcome Kerry to the Pallet-Track team and we know that her skills will be invaluable as we grow and continue to strengthen the network.”

The post Pallet-Track recuits new network development manager appeared first on Motor Transport.

The move is part of a wider management restructuring which sees Gofor founder and MD Graham Lesslie take on the new role as chief executive officer, with responsibility for the company’s ongoing success, strategic business vision, and funder and partner relationships.

Bennett will be responsible for day-to-day operations including digital transformation and operational effectiveness, sales growth and supporting customers.

He will bring his expertise in the technology space, as well as a track record in accelerating business growth. His background includes senior roles for technology businesses - including almost a decade in senior roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Gofor said Bennett’s appointment is in line with its focus on digital transformation which includes recent investment in a driver portal platform for salary sacrifice to ensure optimal customer experience.

His appointment comes as the company continues its growth plans which began with a rebrand in February. This saw it remove “Finance” from its name to better reflect its full end-to-end fleet management provision.

Bennett is one of several recent appointments at the company and follows Gofor winning a series of new fleet management and salary sacrifice accounts.

“Iain's appointment is incredibly exciting and sets Gofor up for the next stage in our growth,” said Leslie.

“Iain struck me as a real people-first leader who recognises the importance of delivering excellent customer experiences, which aligns with our Gofor proactive values and culture.

“I'm pleased to be able to bring in someone of his calibre who can give us a fresh perspective on achieving our strategic aims. I'm excited to see the contribution he can make to our team and our customers.”

Speaking about his new role, Bennet added; “It's an exciting time to join Gofor, and it's come at the perfect stage of my career.

“I want to thank Graham for trusting me with the operational responsibilities which will allow him to transition to a more visionary and strategic role within the business.

“I look forward to supporting him, our customers and the whole Gofor team, in this next phase of our growth.”

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Rushworth who has spent more than 34 years at the helm, expressed his confidence in his replacement, stating: “When considering my successor, Bob was at the top of the list!

“I am delighted to welcome Bob to the business at this crucial time. We are aiming to exceed 2023’s growth in 2024 and his appointment is a key one in helping us achieve this.”

Duffy has served as a sales director and provided solutions for warehousing and distribution for 15 years.

He said: “I’ve known Neil for almost 20 years and have been very much aware of Expect, its growth over that time, and its successes.

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“After meeting the rest of the board and gaining a deeper understanding of the business, it certainly got me thinking about a new challenge and a new journey.

“The family culture, the ambitions of the team and the opportunity to be part of that leveraged me away from Menzies.”

In January 2022, Expect underwent a management buyout, with Andy Taylor and Matthew Kilner taking over as joint owners.

The majority shareholding held by Robert and Neil Rushworth was sold with Neil continuing to retain a minority equity.

Duffy added: “Expect Distribution is already a well-established and successful business. My aim is to ensure we continue to be the number one provider in Yorkshire, focus on our strengths, continue to attract and retain quality people, and anchor the future with our recent acquisition and continued presence outside of Yorkshire.”

The post Expect Distribution appoints new commercial director as former owner prepares to step down appeared first on Motor Transport.

The parcel delivery firm said it was so impressed by Tyrique – Ty – Shakes’ work ethic after a six-week placement that it offered him a job within its Birmingham-based team.

Mencap’s Supported Internship team worked with Evri to create a programme that provided individuals with opportunities to gain practical skills and build their confidence in a professional setting.

Shakes (pictured) received tailored support and the company said he quickly learnt skills such as problem-solving, time management and the importance of teamwork.

Mencap highlighted recent research showing 86% of unemployed people with a learning disability want a paid job and 23% identified inaccessible application forms as one of the things preventing them from getting work.

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Shakes said: “At first, I just wanted to work in a supermarket but the Mencap team helped me see the similarities between working in a supermarket and at Evri.

“I’ve really been welcomed into the Evri family, I’ve been able to showcase my talents and make new friends too, which has really boosted my confidence.”

Evri GM Vania Medes said: “It’s been lovely to see Ty embed himself as one of the team in a relatively short space of time. The process of working with Mencap has been a smooth one and it’s been a real partnership, looking at cases individually and making sure we’ve tailored the programme to their needs. Ty’s journey at Evri highlights the importance of inclusive hiring practices and the transformational impact that a supportive work environment can have on people.”

Evri said the success of its partnership with Mencap meant it was now looking to expand the ways it can create more people with a learning disability to gain employment: “The young people placed with Evri have received great support and have been able to progress into their first paid jobs - a massive achievement for any young person,” added Mencap head of development Mark Capper.

The post Evri hails success of Mencap partnership appeared first on Motor Transport.

Schreck succeeds Chris Sharp who is taking up the position of general manager of MAN sales and support at MAN Truck & Bus in Australia.

Torsten joined MAN Truck & Bus in Munich in 2010 as a sales trainee, and took over the position as head of strategy and business development for MAN TopUsed in 2011. 

From 2014 until 2018, Schreck worked in Berlin and took over the operative responsibility for three TopUsed Centers as head of used sales - East.

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In 2018, Schreck moved back to Munich as head of Used Truck responsible for the worldwide development of the used truck business within MAN Truck & Bus SE.

Stefan Thyssen, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus UK, said: “We are thrilled to have appointed Torsten into the position of Director of MAN TopUsed here in the UK.

"With over a decades experience of the MAN TopUsed function, together with his knowledge of the commercial vehicle industry, he will continue to prove a huge asset to the company.”

The post Torsten Schreck to lead MAN Truck & Bus TopUsed UK division appeared first on Motor Transport.

It said Hyett would oversee the commercial development of the business, growing its UK customer base while driving cost-efficiency savings for fleets on their net zero journeys.

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A former national fleet sales manager at Volkswagen and head of mega fleets and sales director at Lex Autolease, he will also oversee and aim to enhance the skills and capabilities of the company’s sales team.

Richard Hipkiss, Fleet Operations MD, said: “Doug’s appointment marks the latest step in an exciting chapter for Fleet Operations, as we continue our rapid growth trajectory, injecting fresh thinking, innovation and energy into the fleet automotive sector.”

The post Fleet Operations recruits commercial director appeared first on Motor Transport.

He assumes responsibility for the strategic development of the group and will oversee the truck and trailer contract hire, leasing and finance sales divisions, as well as the bus & coach, vendor finance and general asset finance sides of the business.

Bycroft said: “We have seen significant growth across the business over the last few years, particularly in the bus & coach, vendor finance, and general asset finance divisions.

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“I want to make sure this progression continues and that we maximise our capabilities to develop all areas of the business.

"All our budgets and forecasts point to another strong year ahead for Asset Alliance Group and I’m very confident we are putting the right stepping stones in place to allow every division to prosper.”

Reporting directly to Bycroft will be commercial director Martyn Bellis; Paul Wright, sales director for contract hire & leasing; Darren Fitzpatrick, sales director bus & coach; Matt Board, head of general asset finance and Anthony Jones, head of vendor finance.

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