12:43 pm, January 12, 2022
Online used car retailer Carzam has made Laura Chapman its first chief people officer.
She has arrived from the Sytner-owned CarShop, where she worked for eight and a half years.
Carzam, which launched in December 2020, said it planned to increase its operations quickly after securing £112m of outside funding, and Chapman commented: ‘Joining Carzam as the company gears up for exponential growth is a fantastic opportunity.
‘The board recognise the vital role that Carzam’s people have played in the company’s success to date, and that they will only become more important from this point.
‘I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role and to lead the people team.’
She added: ‘I’m currently immersed in learning everything about this vibrant business, which has achieved so much in just one year.
‘Over the coming months, my focus will be on training, development, recruitment, and building a people strategy that will support Carzam’s ambitions for rapid growth in 2022 and beyond.’
Her arrival follows the recent appointments of Andy McCue as its executive chairman and Edgardo Savoy as chief technical officer.
Chief executive Kirk O’Callaghan said: ‘This year will be pivotal in the Carzam story and now it’s time to expand our offering with more stock coming through to meet demand.
‘To do this successfully, we will need to nurture our team, attract new talent and offer progression for our people.
‘Laura’s appointment puts us in a strong position to keep our team at our core as we take our next steps.’
He added: ‘We view ourselves as a service business, not just a retailer.
‘Our people make sure our customers have the best possible experience when they buy a car from us.
‘As chief people officer, Laura will ensure every Carzam employee receives the support and guidance they need to grow with us.
‘Laura is vastly experienced in growing and developing high-performance teams, and it is a pleasure to welcome her to Carzam. Myself and the rest of the senior management team are looking forward to working with her.’
Carzam, which recently took on new headquarters in Peterborough, says it sold 13,500 cars in its first year of trading, with a turnover of some £150m, making it one of the highest revenue-generating start-ups in 2021, it said.
