Jay Edwards named new MD at Prohire

Prohire has promoted Jay Edwards to managing director to shape the long-term strategy for both the commercial vehicle arm and the alternative fuels division, ProGreen.

In addition, he will oversee Prohire’s finance, IT, operations, and commercial functions.

In the five years since he joined Prohire as chief financial officer, the company has grown revenues by 60% to £60 million and the core contract hire fleet by 700 vehicles to 2,400, an increase of more than 40%.

He said: “‘I’m delighted to be stepping into this new role at an exciting time for Prohire as we look to the future.

“The commercial vehicle sector is going through a period of legislative and technological change and it’s our vision to lead the charge as the UK’s most trusted provider of sustainable vehicle hire.

“We have the best team in the industry, and I look forward to working with them in the delivery of our strategy.”

Pat Skelly, CEO of Prohire, added: “Jay’s ability to balance short-term efficiency with long-term vision has been instrumental in Prohire’s sustained growth over the last five years.

“Jay has supported the business in developing the finance function alongside putting in place the operating platform, reporting and more importantly the significant funding required to support that growth.

“As we continue with our ambitious growth strategy, the board is delighted to name Jay as Prohire’s new managing director, and I’d like to congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion.”

DriverCheck appoints new account manager

DriverCheck, has continued its planned expansion with the appointment of David Greenaway as account manager to service new and existing clients.

Reporting into managing director Yvette Giannini, Greenaway’s appointment is the latest in a series of new announcements at DriverCheck, the most recent of which was the promotion of Giannini herself to the position of managing director.

“I’m very excited to take on this new role and responsibility and to help take DriverCheck into the next phase of its planned expansion,” said Greenaway, who has a business background spread over 20 years in sales and marketing and coaching and training.

Giannini added: “We welcome David to our growing team at DriverCheck confident that he will help us continue to provide the very high level of managed services our clients have come to expect.

DriverCheck along with sister company, Derby-based Licence Check, forms part of Ebbon Compliance, with a combined 1.6 million licence checks per annum. 

Carwow Group announces new senior hires

Carwow Group has made two new senior appointments to support its international growth plans.

Gaurav Jain joins as commercial director for its UK business, alongside Dean Aston in the newly created position of director of people and talent for its global business.

Both will join the global senior management team. 

Jain joins Carwow Group from Meta, where he worked as head of global strategy and programs.

Prior to this, he scaled Uber Eats across the UK, running regional marketplaces and building commercial functions.

Aston will be responsible for leading Carwow’s global people and talent function and joins Carwow from Babylon (now eMed), where he built, developed and led global teams across talent acquisition, business partnering and people operations.

Prior to Babylon, he held senior positions at Trainline and Google. 

Carwow Group’s chief business and operations officer, Alice Flaye, said: “We're always investing in talent across the business to help us deliver our ambitious growth plans.

“It’s certainly an exciting time to be joining Carwow Group - both Gaurav and Dean bring fantastic experience and expertise in their specialist areas gained from working at leading global tech companies, and we are excited to see how they now help us shape Carwow’s future." 

Silje Berntsen Bogen named chief people and organisation officer at Abax

Abax has appointed Silje Berntsen Bogen as chief people and organisation officer (CPOO).

Previously, head of people, Bogen has established a corporate culture deeply rooted in innovation and continuous learning, says Abax.

She said: “The rapid development in society and our industry requires an adaptive and forward-looking organisation, where the full potential of every employee can be fully realized.

“As CPOO, I am committed to leading Abax through this transformation, merging our human expertise with advanced technology to ensure that we not only reach, but exceed our strategic goals.” 

Emma Dyga, CEO of Abax, added: “Silje’s competence and vision are crucial for steering ABAX towards becoming a dominant force within smart mobility.

“With her leadership, we expect to create a working environment that is not only prepared for the future's challenges but also actively shapes the future of smart mobility.”

Trojan Energy announces new board members

Trojan Energy has appointed Chris Waples, Terry Hart and Keith Barclay to the company’s board of directors.

The appointments follow £26 million of funding secured by the company in a raise supported by lead investors BGF and The Scottish National Investment Bank.

The new investment will support the Aberdeen-based business to continue its rollout of charge points across the UK.

Waples, appointed as non-executive chairman, has 35 years of global experience in the infrastructure sector with high-profile businesses including John Laing, as executive director of asset management.

He is currently a non-executive director at several organisations including BBGI Global Infrastructure Fund, Cero Generation - a European solar and battery storage developer, South Clyde Energy Recovery - a waste to energy business, and MGT Teeside - a large scale renewable power plant. 

Hart, appointed as non-executive director, was part of the founding team of CityFibre where he was CFO for over nine years.

He is a senior advisor to Octopus Investments in relation to its portfolio of investments in the fibre optic infrastructure sector, and is also a board advisor to Voneus, a Macquarie-backed rural fibre operator.

Barclay, appointed as a non-executive Director, is an investor at BGF. Trojan says he has been influential in a number of investments in Scotland for more than eight years and supports many businesses in the north-east of Scotland.

Ian Mackenzie, CEO at Trojan Energy, said: “I am pleased to welcome Chris, Terry and Keith to the Trojan Energy board. 

“Together they bring a wealth of strategic and leadership experience to the company and each has a strong track record in helping build high-growth and high-performing companies. I look forward to working with them in the years ahead.”

Tim Dougherty named TBR national sales manager

Kumho Tyre UK has appointed of Tim Dougherty as TBR national sales manager, effective immediately.

He brings nearly 30 years of tyre experience, all of it in the truck tyre category, to Kumho.

“Kumho offers an excellent line-up of products that is well-suited to the UK market and I am excited to be bringing these tyres to more service providers and fleets,” he said.

Richard Lyons, Kumho Tyre UK managing director, added: “I am delighted to welcome Tim to the team and his experience will be invaluable in our drive to expand our presence in the UK commercial tyre market.”

Kumho’s TBR range covers steer (including extra load sizes), drive and trailer positions for multi-purpose, regional, long haul and city transit applications.

Petit Forestier names new MD

Barrie Javens has been named as the new managing director of Petit Forestier UK.

He replaces Neale Brothwood who has decided to step down for personal reasons. However, he will remain with the business in a directorship capacity.

Javens brings a wealth of logistics industry and consulting experience, where he has effectively managed various business divisions.

He said: “I am truly honoured and excited to take on the role of managing director for Petit Forestier United Kingdom.

“Petit Forestier is a renowned leader in the refrigerated asset rental sector, and I am committed to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessor, Neale.”

The group expressed its gratitude to Brothwood for the hard work and dedication demonstrated during his tenure.

It said he will continue to play a crucial role in the UK management team, leveraging his extensive knowledge of the business, while supporting Brothwood during the transition and beyond.

Imexpart announces new business development manager

Imexpart has appointed Alex Wilde as its new business development manager, further strengthening its sales division.

Prior to joining Imexpart, Wilde spent three years in Poland, broadening his cultural and professional horizons.

His career in the automotive parts sector started at the age of 17, progressing from a warehouse operative to a managerial role.

In his role at Imexpart, Wilde's focus will be on refining the company's sales strategy and nurturing new business opportunities.

He said: "Joining Imexpart presents a unique opportunity to leverage my industry experience in a new setting.

“The challenge of developing business with motor factors while transitioning from end-user sales is significant, but I’m looking forward to contributing to the company's growth and navigating these changes effectively."

Martin Butterworth, managing director at Imexpart, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Alex to the team. His perspective is expected to be a valuable asset in steering the company through our current market shift and future endeavours.”

Fras-le announces new appointments to bolster brand following acquisition

Fras-le, owner of the Juratek braking brand, has announced a number of appointments to support its growth in the UK automotive aftermarket.

Paul Gibson (pictured above) has joined the company as CV sales manager working across the product portfolio of Fras-le and Juratek brands.

Matt Leeming, marketing manager at Juratek said: “Paul’s extensive experience in commercial vehicle friction channels positions him well to make a significant impact in the company and we wish him lots of success.”

Additionally, Marshall Peters, previously a junior product manager and warehouse operative at Juratek, has been promoted to the role of product manager.

In this new capacity, he will focus on managing and developing Juratek's product range, ensuring competitiveness and relevance in the market.

Leeming added: “These new appointments represent a strategic alignment of values and objectives between Fras-le and Juratek, aimed at driving growth and market expansion.

“As the transportation landscape evolves, Fras-le's commitment to delivering cutting-edge CV braking solutions ensures that it will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of brake systems in the UK.”