Avis has announced the appointment of Chris Harris as regional sales manager for the South West of England and South Wales, as the car rental company looks to grow its B2B portfolio.

Reporting into national sales manager, Richard Jones, Harris will be responsible for identifying and securing new corporate clients across the region including Swindon, Bristol, Cardiff and Plymouth. The role is part of Avis’ long term plan to maintain the double digit growth which the B2B business achieved in last year.

Harris brings with him a wealth of experience in the B2B car industry, having previously set up his own broker business, offering both finance and fleet management, as well as developing a fleet department in South Wales for a VW dealer network. Harris will work alongside seven other regional sales managers to drive new business across the UK.

Commenting on his appointment, Harris said: “I’m delighted to be joining Avis at such an exciting time. The Avis brand is exceptionally strong and deservedly has one of the best reputations in the car rental industry. The growth experienced last year is testament to this and I’m looking forward to delivering equally impressive results across the South West which offers a multitude of opportunities for new business.”

Anthony Ainsworth, commercial director at Avis UK, commented: “This is a significant time of growth for our corporate division as we look to continue the success of 2010. Chris has a superb track record and I’m more than confident he’ll build on our achievements of this year and help meet our ambitious targets as we move into 2012.”