ALD Automotive strengthens its sales and management team with a number of key appointments as it looks to further build its team of specialists following significant growth in 2015, and continued expansion in 2016.

Bringing over 25 years’ industry experience, Paul Lomas has joined ALD as head of sales – new business. Paul began his career in the fleet industry with Gelco and Avis Lease & Fleet Management, before GE Capital Fleet Services, where he led business acquisition, vehicle sourcing and remarketing initiatives across Europe. He was appointed UK operations director at GE Capital Solutions in 2008.

In his new role, Paul holds responsibility for a team of industry professionals who are typically targeting customers from 75 vehicles to 7,500-plus fleets with the full range of services that ALD Automotive offers.

Commenting on his aspirations for the position, Paul said: “One of the challenges of the role is to ensure our market is fully aware of the wide range of innovative products and services we offer, whether it be our bespoke fleet consultancy and financial modelling or our wider mobility solutions.

“With some exciting product development continuing in the background too, it’s a great time to come on board.”

To strengthen the new business team further, Simon Cuenca joins Paul’s team as corporate sales manager for London and the South East. Simon was previously at Zenith where he headed up new business for mid-market and public sector.

In his new role, Simon will provide local businesses with access to ALD’s comprehensive range of solutions, covering everything from cars and commercial vehicles to employee benefits schemes such as Salary Sacrifice.

In addition, ALD has expanded its SME team following strong results in its first full year of operation after being established in 2014.

Commenting on the expansion of the team, SME manager Nathan Francis said: “The team is made up of experienced individuals who look to provide the best service and value to the smaller fleets. We have seen a lot of success in this area and we are all very excited by the recent additions and the opportunity this will give us to establish a substantial presence within the SME sector.”

Among other changes as ALD Automotive strengthens its team, Matt Dale has been appointed as fleet consultancy services manager as ALD looks to further broaden its fleet consultancy and wider mobility offering.

Matt joined ALD in December 2013 as LCV operations manager, drawing upon his experience as the former national LCV sales manager at Nissan. He leads a specialist field team providing expertise in total cost of ownership (TCO), mobility solutions, alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), specialist commercial vehicles and motorbikes.

Commenting on his new role, Matt said: “As the fleet industry increasingly shifts away from company car management to corporate mobility management, the Fleet Consultancy Services team help create a broader consultancy service to support customers in making fleet decisions.”

Supporting the business and maintaining ALD’s focus on product development is Helen Fisk who takes over in the newly appointed role of product development & strategy manager. Helen joined ALD in 1998 and since 2002 had been responsible for the Fleet Consultancy team.

In her new role, Helen will be working with the Board in prioritising new product development and the launch of a raft of new products and services, all being created in ALD’s new specialist Development Centre which opened in April.

Commenting on the appointments, Mel Dawson, managing director of ALD Automotive, said: “These new appointments come on the back of many years of sustained growth in the business. In 2009 we managed 48,000 vehicles; today we manage over 125,000.

“As we prepare for the launch of further innovative products over the coming months our new team will not only help to strengthen our customer offer, but they will also help ensure we continue to stay at the forefront of innovation in the leasing industry and exceed our customers’ requirements.”