Former LeasePlan head of commercial vehicles Paul Kirby has joined Vanarama to head up its electric vehicle strategy.

Paul Kirby, head of electric vehicles and light commercial vehicle product specialist at Vanarama

As the company’s new head of electric vehicles (EV) and light commercial vehicle (LCV) product specialist, Kirby will advance plans for the commercial and personal vehicle leasing specialist to drive EV adoption amongst its customers.

The role will draw on Kirby’s near 30 years’ experience in the automotive and leasing sector, including the last six years, which he spent at LeasePlan UK, including heading up the commercial vehicle team and was responsible for developing the Business-Critical Fleet proposition. Previous roles included contract hire and leasing manager at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK from 2004-09 and fleet and delivery manager for Wickes.

Commenting on his new role at Vanarama, Kirby said: “I have watched the company from the sidelines for a number of years and have been impressed with what they have achieved in the van leasing world and their clear vision for the future of the business. Incorporating electric vehicles into their product offering is crucial – it is essential that we reverse the damage we have done to the climate and improve air quality – plus electric vehicles are nicer to drive!”

Andy Alderson, CEO and founder of Vanarama, added: “As the automotive industry embraces the EV revolution, so are we, we have made a conscious decision to future-proof our business so that we can continue to offer our customers cutting edge products, so, we are delighted to welcome Paul who will be leading on our EV strategy at this hugely exciting time in the industry.”