New managing director role filled at Plug Me In

Plug Me In has announced that Kim Ratcliffe has been appointed as managing director, a newly created role at the business. 

Having held positions at Vodafone, TalkTalk, and British Gas, Ratcliffe brings a track record of transformative leadership and expansion, says Plug Me In.

At Hive, she led global customer operations, overseeing its growth across Europe and into the US, while as chief operating officer at Water Plus and later HomeServe, she led transformation programmes for its business operations in the UK and North America. 

As MD, Ratcliffe will play a pivotal role in steering Plug Me In’s growth and expansion and will work alongside the existing leadership team to find and deliver smarter energy solutions, propelling the business and its customers ever closer to its goal of net zero.

Sean Latus, CEO of Plug Me In, said: “Plug Me In’s success story has never been just about numbers; it's about pioneering innovative solutions that drive us towards our vision of a smarter, more sustainable future for all.

“With her incredible track record of innovation and expansion, Kim is the obvious choice for the managing director position.”

Ratcliffe added: “Plug Me In already has an impressive reputation and record of significant growth. Operating in such an essential sector and with such monumental potential, I’m excited to be part of its journey.

“The work it does to make clean energy more accessible and available at scale is essential, both for this generation and for the generations to come.”

Senior management changes at TTC Group

The TTC Group has appointed David Marsh as its new chief executive officer (CEO) and Ian Gibson as operations director, while Jim Kirkwood (pictured above) becomes deputy chair.

March and Gibson join the existing management team to run the day-to-day business, with Kirkwood focusing on the company’s future expansion, acquisitions and strategic development.

Marsh was previously CEO at Babington, where he led the organisation successfully through the pandemic and then through a re-investment process to private equity in 2022.

He also oversaw its diversification of strategy into corporate learning, with a focus on technology innovation and personalised learning through AI.

Having been in the training, education and professional services space for the past 21 years, he has led numerous PLC and public sector training businesses.

An operations director, Gibson brings vast experience of improving growth, client satisfaction and cost efficiency, as well as delivering sustainable change.

Kirkwood said: “The appointment of both David and Ian, whose wealth of experience naturally aligns with our business ambitions, means we are ideally placed to drive forward our plans to broaden our customer base in new sectors and lead with training and compliance innovation.

“For 30 years, TTC has focused on improving the well-being and safety of road users, but more recently we have entered the health and safety marketplace, expanding into training, risk management and compliance within the construction and infrastructure sectors.

“In my new role, I will relish the freedom to concentrate on identifying opportunities for similar acquisitions and strategic partnerships and build upon the continued success of TTC.”

Warranty Solutions Group appoints new corporate business manager

Warranty Solutions Group (WSG) has appointed Steve Brockington as the new corporate business manager.

He has a wealth of automotive experience, with more than a decade managing and developing strategic partnerships with manufacturers and franchised dealerships.

As the former senior programme manager for Car Care Plan, he was responsible for overseeing the relationship between Car Care Plan and Stellantis.

In this role, he managed the Peugeot Approved and Citroen Select used car programmes, later playing an instrumental part in evolving both schemes into the recently launched Spoticar used car programme.

In his new role at WSG, he will be responsible for developing corporate accounts and providing manufacturers, retailers, and end-users alike with solutions and products that fit their requirements.

He said: “With the industry changing at an ever-increasing rate, the need to adapt and create new solutions for manufacturers and corporate clients is essential. 

“I am very excited to join WSG, as I firmly believe the Group is best placed in the market to provide dealers and manufacturers with those solutions, never forgetting that the customer is at the end of the process.”

John Colinswood, CEO of WS, added: “We are delighted to welcome Steve to our team.  Steve has a deep understanding of the automotive market and the needs of both dealers and customers.  He is passionate about delivering exceptional customer service and value-added solutions and will be a great asset to our clients.”

Elcome bolsters team with new appointment

Automotive data and cataloguing specialist, Elcome, has welcomed Tony Mason as its new business development manager to strengthen the sales team.

Mason joins the team with a long history working for automotive component manufacturers and most recently MAM Software.

He said: “I’m already really enjoying being part of the Elcome team – the office has a great atmosphere, and everyone has total commitment to the cause.

“I’m looking forward to helping to improve the customer experience and assisting with fresh marketing campaigns to capture the attention of potential clients.

Oliver Haywood, head of sales and marketing at Elcome, added: “It’s fantastic to welcome Tony to the team. He has decades of experience working in the industry and we are confident that he will play a pivotal role in driving our business growth further and expanding our reach in the sector.”

WhoCanFixMyCar appoints Kevern Thompson as new CEO

WhoCanFixMyCar has appointed Kevern Thompson as its new CEO, taking the reins from interim CEO, David Loy.

Thompson joins the company after eight years working in software, bringing a blend of knowledge from across multiple sectors and 38 years of automotive experience.

He said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the team at WhoCanFixMyCar at such an exciting time for the business. The company is looking to the future, with an experienced team across automotive and technology and a strong foothold at the centre of the automotive repair ecosystem.

“I see ample opportunities for WhoCanFixMyCar to strengthen this position further, creating a community through technology and being agile in how it provides effective solutions during significant sector transformation.”

David Loy, general manager of global aftermarket and digital business at Niterra EMEA, added: “WhoCanFixMyCar is at a turning point and with new leadership and new energy comes many new opportunities.

“We are looking to the future, not just in terms of business growth, but in how the automotive industry is evolving.

“Our focus is to cement WhoCanFixMyCar’s place in that future, and Kevern’s appointment as CEO marks an important step towards that goal.”