Stratstone BMW and Mini has expanded its corporate team with five new fleet appointments.

The automotive retailer has appointed Neill Richards to head up the team of eight business development managers, who will be focussed on growing sales among the local business community surrounding each site.

Richards joins the company as national sales manager following a career with JCT600 as group fleet sales director and LSH Auto as group corporate and fleet sales manager.

Joining him as business development managers across the network of retailers are Tracey Hill, David Heaney, Rob Murray and Andrew Clark.

The new members of staff have knowledge and experience within the fleet and B2B sector having over 94 years’ experience between them.

The team will use their experience to grow the corporate sales across Stratstone BMW and Mini as well as finding opportunities in the SME sector and larger corporate accounts.

Stratstone offers a range of business contract hire deals and can help fleets by providing information on vehicle funding, benefit in kind, company car tax legislation, writing allowances and vehicle fleet management.

BMW will launch its first electric compact executive car in 2021 called the i4.

The new model will be based on the 4 Series, in Gran Coupe body type, and will have a potential power output of more than 500PS.