‘2014 has been another strong year for LeasePlan and I’m pleased with the performance we have delivered in my first six months as Managing Director. We’ve recorded a number of significant new business wins, including substantial commercial vehicle growth and increased uptake of salary sacrifice for car schemes. As a business we are investing in taking LeasePlan’s digital offering to the next level. We know our customers expect a high quality digital experience, and we want to reflect this in their interactions with our business.

‘We also launched the Women’s Arctic Challenge this year, a radically different diversity and inclusion initiative  that will take place in 2015. This is just one strand of LeasePlan’s commitment to the development of its people  – I  look forward to tracking the success of the team.

‘Globally, LeasePlan’s worldwide expansion continued with the opening of offices in Canada in January and taking on full ownership of LeasePlan Turkey. Working across 32 countries, LeasePlan’s global insight into driver behaviour was demonstrated by our Global Mobility Monitor Report which revealed that UK drivers are most likely to experience road rage than any other nation, generating headlines around the world.

‘In the UK, I was pleased to see the fuel duty freeze remain in place following the recent Autumn Statement. It was also satisfying that no additional taxes were laid on already under-pressure business drivers.

‘Looking ahead to the general election, regardless of the outcome, I do sincerely hope that the government will deliver on its commitment to road infrastructure investment. As we highlighted in our Future of Mobility report, business motoring is changing and I believe 2015 will see further readjustment of drivers’ relationships with their vehicles. Against this backdrop, leasing is being seen as a far more attractive choice than outright ownership, and we know our objective advice can help secure the best possible deal for large and small businesses, the public sector and individuals.’