Meet the speakers - Fleets in Charge Conference 2022

Caroline is the Director of Environment and Future Mobility at the Department for Transport, a role she job shares with Richard Bruce. Caroline and Richard are responsible for developing and delivering policy to reduce transport’s environmental impacts and to shape the future of transport. Their Directorate includes the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, as well as teams working on air quality, vehicle regulation and overall transport decarbonisation. Caroline joined the DfT as a corporate finance adviser after a successful career in similar roles within the private sector, including at KMPG and Cambridge Economic Policy Associates. Since joining DfT she has worked in a range of commercial, project delivery and policy roles. Originally from the Peak District, she was educated at Manchester High School before graduating in maths from Cambridge University. She lives in London with her family and dog and drives a Nissan Leaf.

Ian joined the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) as CEO in 2015 with over 25 years of automotive experience. During Ian’s tenure the APC has committed well over £1bn investment into zero and low carbon automotive innovation, with the resulting products reducing carbon emissions and providing lasting economic benefits from jobs and inward investment. A key objective has been to bring partners from industry, academia, and government together to spur collaboration and accelerate the delivery of green automotive technology. Ian and the APC team were instrumental in the development, launch and now delivery of the Automotive Transformation Fund announced in 2020.      Before joining the APC Ian was at Ford Motor Company in Detroit where he was Global Chief Engineer for Large Cars and responsible for the development activities for the Ford Mondeo/Fusion and Taurus. In this and prior roles in Europe, Asia and the US Ian has gained deep experience across many elements of automotive product engineering, design, manufacturing, and business case development with a very keen focus on future customer needs.      As well as his work at the APC, Ian played a key role in establishing the Faraday Battery Challenge and Driving the Electric Revolution where he is currently a board member for both and is also a director at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).  Ian’s ambition is to see a new generation electric vehicle supply chain, at scale, anchored in the UK.      Ian studied engineering at Aston University, has a Masters in Advanced Automotive Engineering from Loughborough University, is a chartered engineer and in 2019 received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bath.   

Ian joined the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) as CEO in 2015 with over 25 years of automotive experience. During Ian’s tenure the APC has committed well over £1bn investment into zero and low carbon automotive innovation, with the resulting products reducing carbon emissions and providing lasting economic benefits from jobs and inward investment. A key objective has been to bring partners from industry, academia, and government together to spur collaboration and accelerate the delivery of green automotive technology. Ian and the APC team were instrumental in the development, launch and now delivery of the Automotive Transformation Fund announced in 2020.      Before joining the APC Ian was at Ford Motor Company in Detroit where he was Global Chief Engineer for Large Cars and responsible for the development activities for the Ford Mondeo/Fusion and Taurus. In this and prior roles in Europe, Asia and the US Ian has gained deep experience across many elements of automotive product engineering, design, manufacturing, and business case development with a very keen focus on future customer needs.      As well as his work at the APC, Ian played a key role in establishing the Faraday Battery Challenge and Driving the Electric Revolution where he is currently a board member for both and is also a director at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).  Ian’s ambition is to see a new generation electric vehicle supply chain, at scale, anchored in the UK.      Ian studied engineering at Aston University, has a Masters in Advanced Automotive Engineering from Loughborough University, is a chartered engineer and in 2019 received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bath.   

John O’Hanlon has worked in the Motor Retail Sector for over 30 years. He is CEO of Waylands, the seven site (5 Volvo, 1 Kia and 1 MG) Retail Group based in the Thames Valley/M4 corridor. The Group was established in November 2017, in a temporary site in Reading and has grown via acquisitions of Volvo dealerships Newbury (oldest Volvo dealer in the country), Swindon and Oxford and Kia in Reading, and the establishment of new site representation points in Bristol for Volvo and MG in Oxford. In March 2019, Waylands relocated its Reading Volvo business to a state of the art £6m full Volvo “VRE” site. In August 2019, the Oxford Volvo business was relocated to the biggest Volvo showroom in the country. In February 2021, acquired the Kia franchise in Reading, and immediately launched a refurbishment programme prior to a full redevelopment in 2023. In March 2021, the Group completed the comprehensive refurbishment of the Fawcetts business. In August 2021, Waylands opened a new Volvo site in Bristol, expanding its reach further along the M4 corridor. And the Group opened its first MG business at its Cumnor Hill location in Oxford. In April 2022, Waylands will begin the construction of a new £7m showroom for Volvo in Swindon which is expected to complete at the end of the year. John’s stated ambition was to grow Waylands to £100m turnover with a £2m balance sheet, within 3 years (its 2021 turnover is £123m and balance sheet of £4m). The Group’s new ambition is to grow to a £250m turnover by 2025. John will deliver this through a relentless focus on detail, nurturing key relationships with stakeholders and a constant investment in Waylands culture and talent. Waylands has most recently been recognised as Automotive Management’s Dealer Group of the Year (Up to Ten sites) for the third consecutive year. John also advises the UK Top 20 motor retailer, John Clark Motor Group, in his role as a non-executive director. John is a regular speaker at industry events including Automotive Managements @amchatter webcast, Auto Retail Network webinar Q2 2018 and Q3 2020, Motor Trade Radio’s podcast, Car Dealer podcast, Car Dealer Magazine’s CDX16, 18 and 19. John has also spoken at ICDP’s conferences in 2016 and 2019, and at the VRA’s AGM webcast. John has been a member of Volvo’s Retailer Advisory Board and also serves as Chairman of the NFDA’s EV Group. John was presented with Motor Trader’s Outstanding Achievement Award in December 2021.

Laura is Head of Government Affairs for Enterprise, the world’s largest rental firm. It has a fleet of around 120,000 cars vans and trucks in the UK.

James Leese is Chief Customer Officer for Cox Automotive in the UK & Europe. He is responsible for the development of a Cox Automotive enterprise approach to support cross group customers across the UK and Europe. James joined Cox Automotive in 2006 and held various sales leadership roles before being appointed Chief Customer Officer in March 2019. Prior to joining the leadership ranks at Cox Automotive, James worked within the Automotive Digital marketplace firstly within a business he established developing used vehicle solutions for small to medium dealers, which then developed into a wider digital marketing and SEO organisation. He then went on to work within a business called 2nd Byte, developing digital solutions for vehicle manufacturers and large dealer groups, where he helped grow the organisation until its sale to Autotrader, at which point he joined Cox Automotive’s Manheim. James’s focus is putting customers at the heart of the business and delivering solutions and services that make things easy for customers, while ensuring value is achieved both internally and externally.

James Taylor is B2B Director for the Stellantis group in the UK ensuring a coordinated approach for the large fleet customers for the Brands of Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Peugeot and Vauxhall. Taylor joined Vauxhall in 1997 on a year-long placement as part of the company’s well-regarded undergraduate scheme. He then returned to Vauxhall as a graduate in 1999 after completing a Business Studies degree course at Cranfield University. He has held commercial roles in Vauxhall Motors as Retail Sales District Manager and National Fleet Sales manager. He was promoted to Fleet Sales Director in April 2011, responsible for all new vehicle sales (cars and commercial vehicles) to the fleet market and, in 2020, appointed as General Sales Director.

Philip chairs the EV Energy Taskforce, a group which brings senior stakeholders from energy, infrastructure, automotive and transport together for the very first time, actively advising government and industry on achieving our electric revolution. With input and contributions from over 350 leading UK organisations, this highly influential and respected taskforce engages with Ministers, senior policy makers and cross-sector industry experts on being ready for the mass adoption of EVs.

Paul Hollick is Chairman of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) and Managing Director of Lightfoot. He is a recognised industry figure, panellist and presenter at various domestic and international conferences. Paul is widely regarded as an expert in Maas/Big data solutions and managing businesses to reach the peak of their potential. Paul has had a diverse career and has held senior board roles within retail, OEM, leasing, fleet management, fuel, mobility and technology businesses.

Zap-Map are the UK’s leading app and digital platform for EV drivers to search for charge points, plan longer journeys, pay on participating networks and share updates with other EV drivers. With 95%+ of public charge points mapped and around 70% of charge points showing live availability status, Zap-Map provides EV drivers with peace of mind and the confidence to drive any length of journey in their EV. Zap-Map attracts more than 200,000 UK users per month.

As Director of Product & Marketing at Arval UK BNP Paribas, Stuart leads the UK Product, CSR, Marketing and Consulting teams focused on positioning Arval as a leader in sustainable mobility, leading its customers’ transition to electrified and zero-emission travel, helping to protect the environment and create safer roads. Arval’s leased fleet adds up to more than 1,381,000 vehicles around the world (December 2020) and more than 179,000 cars and vans in the UK.

Alex is Sales Director for BP Pulse has been in EV charging for 5 years. BP Pulse’s charging points have been used over 35 million times to enable around 200 million miles of zero tailpipe emission driving.

Openreach Limited runs the UK's digital network. They connect homes, schools, hospitals, libraries, businesses - large and small, broadcasters and governments to the world. They are a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group and their customers are the 690+ communications providers who sell phone, broadband and Ethernet services to homes and businesses. With more than 28,000 commercial vehicles, they operate the second largest fleet in the UK - accounting for 66% of BT’s operational emissions.

Ian joined Auto Trader in 2017 and is responsible for growing its new car business, as well as overseeing the Manufacturer and Agency part of the business. Previously Ian worked at Volkswagen, where he was Director of Sales Operations in the UK, responsible for all UK Volkswagen passenger car sales as well as the franchise management and commercial programmes. Ian was also the former Managing Director of Renault Retail Group responsible for 25 Renault and Nissan dealerships, and prior to that held various international marketing, aftersales and e-business roles at Renault’s headquarters in Paris.

Edmund heads up public affairs and communications at the AA and often appears as a transport commentator on radio and television. He is also director and a trustee of the AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment, and a director of AA DriveTech. Outside of the AA, Edmund is a member of the influential Motorists’ Forum and a Fellow of the CIPR and PRCA. Together with Deirdre King, he was a runner-up in the Wolfson Economics Prize with their submission on Road Miles.

Joined BVRLA LFM Committee May 2019

Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England is the voice of electric vehicle drivers. It strives to accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars through provision of accessible information to consumers, and strategic campaigning to UK Government on key policy matters. EVA England is run for EV drivers, by EV drivers. They promote the environmental and health benefits of electric vehicles to the public in England. EVA England is a collective voice, working with all stakeholders to pro-actively identify and highlight the specific issues of ownership and driving of electric vehicles and associated infrastructure in England.

Catherine supports the BVRLA’s policy and lobbying activities with specific focus on air quality, future mobility, and decarbonisation. Catherine has worked in senior policy roles for over 14 years and has experience of working within private, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. She has previously worked for the British Retail Consortium, where she held the post of senior policy lead for crime and security.

Claire Miller is Director of Technology and Innovation at Octopus Electric Vehicles, part of the Octopus Energy Group. Claire works at the cutting edge of EV adoption and use-cases for a smart, connected grid, including vehicle to grid and smart charging. She is passionate about solving real world problems, delivering new technologies to market and, most importantly, into the hands of users to make a positive impact on the world around us. Previously Claire had an extensive career in R&D & innovation that spanned sectors including IoT tech, medical devices, and FMCG and took her around the world from the US to China. Claire holds a Masters in Engineering from Imperial College London. In 2021 she was a recipient of the Women Powering Smart Energy Award for Engineering, and this year has been recognised as a 'Top Woman in EV' in Technology by the EV Summit.

Rob Gwynn is Policy and Public Affairs Manager UK for Volta Trucks joining the business in December 2021 and is responsible for stakeholder engagement, communicating with policy makers and understanding the policy landscape, specifically for electric commercial vehicles. With a background in transport policy having previously worked in the parcel sector, he has developed a deep understanding from both an operator and manufacturer perspective. He is passionate about the role that decarbonising transport can play in combating the overall climate challenge and in laying the foundations for sustainable, safer urban transport.

Geoff is Head of Asset Valuation and Pricing at Arval. Arval’s leased fleet adds up to more than 1,381,000 vehicles around the world (December 2020) and more than 179,000 cars and vans in the UK.

Rui Ferreira is a senior international automotive executive with +25 years in the industry and with working experience in 7 European countries. During a 19-year career with General Motors he held various senior roles in sales and marketing at both a country and European levels, including the role of European Fleet Operations Director. This was followed by a 7-year tenure at Hertz International (Car Rental) as Vice President Fleet Remarketing (Europe and Aus/NZ). Rui joined Onto (the largest electric vehicle subscription service in the UK) in September 2019 as is currently the Chief Commercial Officer.

Dott design vehicles for shared use and build them to last. They know that electric micromobility is crucial to the fight against air pollution and global warming – as long as their carbon footprint is limited. From the very beginning, Dott has been dedicated to achieving carbon neutrality and in 2019, they compensated their CO2 emissions through green initiatives and reached that goal.

Eleanor joined the BVRLA in May 2021.

Tom Thackray is the CBI’s Programme Director for Decarbonisation and leads the organisation’s policy work aimed at enabling businesses to transition to a zero carbon economy. In his time at the CBI Tom has held a variety of roles including leading the CBI’s Innovation and Enterprise teams, covering policy issues relevant to small and medium-sized businesses and the digital and creative industries. He is an experienced advisor to government and has contributed to Ministerial groups on research and innovation, cybersecurity and small business. Prior to joining the CBI Tom worked in public affairs consultancy in Brussels and London.

Tim joined Northgate as Fleet Director in early 2018 and is responsible for all Fleet and Branch Operations activities for the Northgate and Auxillis brands within Redde Northgate PLC, along with the Van Monster and Northgate Ireland businesses. He has over 30 years of experience in the Vehicle Rental industry driving improvements, change, innovation and efficiencies, having worked both in the UK and Germany in various Operational, Fleet, Finance and General Management roles. Tim’s most recent roles were Fleet Director for National Alamo / Europcar and then 10 years running Redde’s rental division before joining Northgate.

Problem solver and travel enthusiast who wants to make renting cars simple. Management consultant and technology strategist at PwC. Provides vision and leadership to the team and engages with investors.

BEIS is leading economy-wide transformation by backing enterprise and long-term growth, generating cheaper, cleaner, homegrown energy and unleashing the UK as a science superpower through innovation.

Going carbon neutral is great. It means your business is no longer adding to global warming. But what if you could do more? What if you could actually save more carbon than you are creating? That is the way to accelerate our efforts to get to "net zero", that is the way to do "more good, not just less bad" and that is what Go Climate Positive will help you do.

[email protected]

The Algorithm People help fleets and organisations reduce costs, increase productivity and decarbonise using powerful optimisation algorithms and software technology, enabling Fleet as a Service.

Hannah is a senior consultant on the hydrogen team at Element Energy, a specialist zero carbon consultancy, and specialises in project development, techno-economic analysis, and funding acquisition. She is the lead consultant for the H2Accelerate Collaboration, supporting major European hydrogen infrastructure players and truck OEMs to enable the roll-out of hydrogen trucking across Europe. She holds a Master’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

John is Commercial Director for Momentum Dynamics Corporation, the world’s leading high-powered wireless charging technology company, representing he company in all things East of the Atlantic. A professional Chartered Engineer, with 25 years-experience in the automotive industry, who led the JLR / Waymo partnership, deploying I-Pace to public ride-hailing Robotaxi in the U.S as well as the project which delivered the first all-electric Google Street View / Air View vehicle and the world’s first project to deploy wireless charging taxi into commercial operation in Oslo.

The Lunaz Group converts vehicles to zero emission powertrains, realising the potential of upcycling to plot a more sustainable path to a decarbonised future.

After 10 years in the offshore oil industry, Hugh did an MBA at INSEAD in France before spending an additional 10 years working around the world in the telecom industry. Returning to Ireland to take a senior role at Google, he eventually returned to his energy roots in the UK electricity market before taking on the challenge of revolutionizing EV charging globally with Go Eve and DockChain.

Thomas joined the BVRLA in January 2020. Prior to this he spent three years working with the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) representing franchised dealer interests and stakeholder relationships across a wide range of issues. This included working extensively with the NFDA CV Division and launching the NFDA’s Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme. Before this he worked for a research and policy unit attached to Africa’s top University looking at the development pathways of automotive manufacturing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Matt has been a technician in the independent aftermarket for over 25 years. After taking the reins of his 3-generation family business in 2017, he created a EV specialist sister company in 2018 and now the two run together in 12,000 sqft premises in Cheltenham. Cleevely EV is a promotional company, and has developed to offer educational talks, technical training, full workshop facilities, used car sales, Tesla rental and EV new and used parts.

Business leasing and fleet management.

Andy was a founding member of the Zemo Partnership in 2003 and after serving both on the board and as chair of the members council for many years, was appointed as Managing Director in April 2012. He was formerly Group Head of Commercial and Projects at Millbrook Proving Ground where he was responsible for all the laboratories and commercial activity and led the work on powertrain test and development programmes and alternative fuels, for a variety of global OEM customers. Andy built his career in vehicle engineering, focussing on developing new test methods specialising in powertrain development, fuel economy and emissions. As Head of Laboratories Andy was responsible for all technical aspects of the Millbrook business and for government and European legislative relations, supporting a wide range of policy initiatives for the UK government. He joined Millbrook after a year’s training with Vauxhall Motors by whom he was sponsored to study for a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Southampton University. Andy has supported many innovation activities in an advisory role including the creation of CENEX in 2005 and the APC in 2013. Andy is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and has supported STEM development throughout his career. Andy became Zemo Partnership Chief Executive Officer in June 2021.

The Green Finance Institute is a coalition for the energy efficiency of buildings in Europe. Its vision is a greener future made possible by finance. Its mission is to accelerate the transition to a clean, resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by channelling capital at pace and scale towards real-economy outcomes that will create jobs and increase prosperity for all.

Established in 2015, Agile Charging has built up knowledge of charging infrastructure and shared e- mobility through participation in a number of innovation projects sponsored by organisations including Innovate UK and the Department for Transport. Agile has deep knowledge of the e-mobility market opportunity, with a team that bring a complimentary set of specialist domain expertise, and networks from across the e-mobility and energy sectors built up over 50 years cumulative experience.