Hopkins joins LeasePlan on 3 May and brings a wealth of experience from the motor industry, most recently at Mazda, where as fleet and remarketing director, he completed a strategic overhaul of remarketing in the UK. Latterly he progressed to director of European fleet operations for Mazda where he was responsible for over 50,000 new vehicle sales and 10,000 used vehicle sales.

Commenting on Hopkins' new role, Matt Cranny, LeasePlan UK operations director, commented: 'We've recruited James for this important role as part of our strategy to ensure our operational platform is the best in the business and also to maximise LeasePlan's remarketing performance in a volatile climate.'

LeasePlan has announced that it has split its operations into four main areas, with immediate effect. In addition to Hopkins' role at Remarketing, Steve West heads Fleet Support.

LeasePlan has also created two new departments: Procurement & Supplier Management and Customer Experience. The former will be led by Neil Dixon, who is responsible for building mutually beneficial relationships in the supply chain. The Customer Experience team will be headed by Jo Miles, whose goal is to standardise the highest level of customer service across the multiple contact points with customers and drivers.

Cranny commented: 'We are already leading the way in customer services and these changes are designed to ensure we stay ahead of the chasing pack.'