22.07.2004

New MD at Nationwide Access

Lavendon Group plc has announced the appointment of Hugh Cole as Managing Director of Nationwide Access effective August 10th. Cole will also join Lavendon Group's Executive Committee.

Cole (43), has for the past three years been Director of Operations and Franchise at Europcar UK where he has been responsible for overseeing a major programme of cultural change and improvements in customer services, leading to the operation reporting its first profits in 2002.

Prior to this, he was Head of Regional Operations at AVIS, accountable for the Midlands, South Wales and East Anglia, the largest region in the UK.

Chief Executive of Lavendon, Kevin Appleton, commented: "We look forward to welcoming Hugh to the Group. He brings a wealth of relevant experience, clear leadership expertise and a proven record of improving business performance. His appointment, which additionally will enable me to increase my focus on the strategic development of the Group, represents a significant building block in the growth of Lavendon Group plc.

"As mentioned at the time of our trading update earlier this month, the revenue
decline experienced in 2003 in the UK has been reversed and we expect revenues for the first six months of the year to be slightly ahead of the corresponding period last year."

The post of Managing Director of Natiowide Access has been vacant for over a year since the previous incumbent, Tommy Graham was moved into a strategic planning role. Since then Kevin Appleton has been acting MD for Nationwide.