Richard Baird has been appointed to the ACFO board, replacing retiring finance director Brian Ingham who stepped down last week after a decade on the fleet operators’ association’s board of directors.
Baird is chairman of the London East region and head of new business development for Marshall Leasing, and was voted in along with the re-election of Julie Jenner, with TR Fleet boss Julie Summerell missing out in the vote held at the association’s AGM, which took place alongside its conference this month at the Rockingham Motor Speedway venue in Northamptonshire.
Jenner and Baird join deputy chairman Damian James, John Pryor, Phil Redmond and Caroline Sandall on the six-strong board, who will meet next month to decide on the key board appointments.
Paying tribute to Ingham’s work as finance director, Jenner said: “Our finances have never been so diligently looked after as they have been since Brian took over.” Ingham has been an ACFO member for 23 years.
“This brings an end to 30 years of working in various elements of an ever-changing industry,” he said in a farewell speech. “The next 30 years will see many changes but the role of the dedicated fleet manager will be even more relevant.”
In summarising the last year for the association, Damian James described it as a “busy 12 months with a lot of work behind the scenes”.
The association has been working with the DVLA on both the issues of fixed penalty fines and the changing way the Government agency is operating in terms of digital services and its centralisation after the announced closure of many local offices. “We are right at the forefront of discussions,” James said.
ACFO’s deputy chairman also promised new “new things to share” during 2013, with a “range of services to improve membership retention and encourage new members”, coming in the wake of a new website launch and a change of secretariat services provider.
