9:48 pm, December 7, 2008
MAZDA UK has appointed a new fleet and remarketing director. Peter Allibon succeeds James Hopkins.
Hopkins is moving to director of European fleet operations for Mazda Motor Europe.
This is part of the brand’s fleet expansion programme in Europe.
Allibon starts on 22 December, moving from his current role as head of the UK credit division. He’ll report to UK sales director Mark Cameron.
’The strong links that Peter has formed with our dealer partners during his time with Mazda Credit will serve him well, as we seek to expand further our fleet sales and remarketing capability,’ said Cameron.
Allibon said: ‘Mazda has made huge strides in the corporate sector in recent years.
‘Many of our dealers have secured significant new business as a result of our strategy, and I want even more of our dealer partners to share in our corporate sales success, by actively pursuing businesses close to their operations.’
Hopkins’ new role will see him establish an European fleet operation. The brand is targeting businesses in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
10 per cent of all Mazda Motors’ European sales are to fleet. In the UK, this proportion rises to 1 in 2.
Hopkins will now use this UK model across Europe. ‘In the UK, Mazda’s fleet sales have grown substantially in just a few years.
‘Our success to date has been based on a strategy that has seen our fleet department establish relations with fleet decision-makers, the contract hire and leasing sector, and residual value guides and information providers.’
Now, his challenge is to do the same across Europe.
