Mr Hill joins from leading contract hire and leasing supplier, Lex Autolease, where he was head of corporate customer services and responsible for providing customer services to businesses operating fleets of over 500 vehicles.

Fleet Logistics specialises in providing fleet management services to national and multi-national fleets operating typically more than 1,000 vehicles, and Mr Hill's large fleet experience is seen as crucial for the continued development of the UK business.

As UK operations director, Mr Hill will effectively run the UK business, which manages around 15,000 vehicles on behalf of corporate clients, part of Fleet Logistics' European managed fleet of some 75,000 vehicles, and will be responsible for all aspects of client services, partner and supplier relationships and business development.

He succeeds Martyn Gallop, who is taking up a wider European implementation role, working with some of Fleet Logistics' largest pan European and multi-national fleet customers to help implement fleet strategy and policies.

 'I am delighted to be joining Fleet Logistics at this time and am excited by its plans for further expansion and development. After over 18 years with Lloyds Banking Group, while I wasn't necessarily looking for a change, I felt that this opportunity to join a progressive and growing company would enable me to really make a difference in the development of the UK operations.

'There are exciting plans to grow the business as well as clear career opportunities at a European level within Fleet Logistics. I see this new role as an opportunity to use my existing skillsets, develop new skills and hone those that I haven't used for some time, to take the business to the next level,' he said.

Mr Hill has considerable experience in the UK motor finance industry in a variety of roles within Lloyds TSB, before joining the fleet side of the business at Lloyds TSB Autolease some five years ago. The company then merged with Lex Vehicle Leasing to create the UK's largest leasing company, with over 330, 000 vehicles on contract hire at its peak.

'In the current economic climate, UK corporates are very much focused on cost control and, while issues such as carbon emissions, health and safety and renewal and retention are still key topics, the number one priority is cost control.

'This is clearly Fleet Logistics' area of expertise but I also believe there is also as opportunity here to take the business to the next level in terms of providing high-level customer service to back up its expertise in other areas.'