The Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO) is to host its first webinar and hold an election for the post of regional chairman on Friday 24 November.
The webinar will highlight key issues impacting fleets following Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond’s Budget Statement, while the election will follow ACFO’s announcement of a series of changes designed to better inform existing members and recruit newcomers.
The Budget 2017 webinar will be held 48 hours after the Chancellor’s statement. Hosted by ACFO deputy chairman Caroline Sandall, it will enable members to obtain a comprehensive insight into all announcements impacting fleet operations. Members will also be able to ask questions on how specific government decisions will impact their own operations.
The webinar is anticipated to be the first in a series that will continue throughout 2018 and the ACFO is already planning to use the platform for its spring and autumn 2018 regional briefing updates.
ACFO chairman John Pryor said: “The fleet industry and the role of the fleet decision-maker continue to evolve and so must ACFO.
“We believe that the webinars will prove popular for our busy members and also act as a recruitment platform for new members. There is an unprecedented level of change taking place in the fleet industry, and insight and advice is critical for employees with fleet responsibility, irrespective of their experience.
“That is what the ACFO webinars will provide, starting with the Budget webinar. We hope that fleet decision-makers, whatever their career background – fleet, HR, finance or procurement – will look to take part in the webinars by joining ACFO.
“We believe the introduction of webinars gives members access to unprecedented updates and reinforces the ACFO core principle of supporting them with key advice and information in the fleet and mobility arena.”
Meanwhile, ACFO is to reduce to one region with the chairman and secretary acting as the link between ACFO’s six-strong board of directors and its membership. They will both attend board meetings, but in a non-voting capacity. Elections to both positions will be held annually.
Two members – Julie Summerell, managing director, TR Fleet, and Lee Corrigan, car fleet manager, Skanska UK – have put themselves forward for the post of regional chairman, so an election is to be held with voting closing on Friday 10 November. The result of the ballot will be announced at the 2017 ACFO Awards on Thursday 16 November.
James Pestell (pictured), currently secretary of ACFO’s East Anglia Region, is the only nominee for regional secretary, so is elected unopposed. Pestell has more than 15 years’ fleet experience having joined Independent Fleet Consultants (now IFC Group) in 2003 as a graduate IT systems analyst. He joined ACFO four years ago and became East Anglia Region secretary last year.
The positions of regional chairman and secretary will take effect from 1 January 2018.