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Paul Hollick outlines challenges facing fleets at ICFM Conference

Chairman Paul Hollick outlines the challenges facing fleets on a global scale at the ICFM Conference celebrating 25 years of the ICFM
ICFM chairman Paul Hollick addresses Conference about the challenges facing fleet
Paul Hollick asks the question: does the Goevernment want the company car any more?

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21 March 2018

PAUL Hollick, Chairman of the ICFM, outlined the complex challenges facing fleets at the ICFM Conference.

Entitled ‘Fuel for the Future, the Emissions Dilemma’, the conference – held at The British Motor Museum, Warwickshire, on March 20 – celebrated 25 years of ICFM.

Hollick told the record 250 delegates that the traditional vehicle ownership model would change.

it was inevitable, he said. Against a background of world population growth, globalisation, connectivity, pollution, a scarcity of natural resources, global instability, the changing behaviour of generations Y and Z and congestion that legislation would be driven by such global challenges.

On a more local level, the list of key issues confronting the fleet industry over the next 24 months was unprecedented, said Mr Hollick:

  • the continuing ‘demonisation’ of diesel amid air quality concerns and rises in CO2;
  • the May 25 introduction of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation);
  • future company car benefit-in-kind tax increases;
  • for fleets that contract hire the lease accounting standard changes effective from January 01, 2019 must be taken into account;
  • the introduction to fleets of ultra-low emission and plug-in electric vehicles;
  • the continuing fall-out from the April 2017 introduction of Optional Remuneration Arrangements (OpRA) around cash for car and salary sacrifice;
  • continuing concerns around occupational road risk;
  • the introduction of autonomous vehicles and related concerns around terrorism and cyber security;
  • and the ever-present topic of ‘big data’.

“The future is approaching faster than we think. The time to act is now. The challenges faced by fleet managers are of a level the like of which we have not seen before. These are troubling, but also exciting times.”

Referring to the company car benefit-in-kind tax increases due in the next three financial years he speculated:

“Is the government on a mission to tax the company car out of existence. I hope not, but at the moment I don’t know.”

Mr Hollick continued: “But the ICFM is incredibly well placed to support this changing climate – we will always adapt to ensure our members and students are the most equipped, most specialised and most informed from whatever area they come from.

“Skills will change. Manual tasks will cease to exist in their current form and our creative sides will come to the fore. Creativity will be crucial. And the ICFM is ready. As a progressive organisation, we will adapt training courses to suit the future.”

Jaguar Land Rover was host sponsor, with a Jaguar i-Pace and Land Rover Range Rover Velar present in the conference room.

Chargemaster, the UK’s largest provider of electric vehicle charging points, was headline sponsor.

Support sponsors were: Accident Exchange, CD Auction Group, Geotab, Jaama and Selsia Vehicle Networks.

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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