Nigel Stead has joined the enlarged board of APD Global Research & Development as a non-executive director.
Stead joins the company as it embarks on a major expansion programme widening its business reach. This now extends, not just within the UK and Europe, but also in Asia Pacific, where from its southern hemisphere offices in Melbourne, Victoria, it already operates three major OEM customer-satisfaction programmes in Australia and New Zealand.
Nigel Stead has much experience in the automotive sector. His extensive career has been highlighted by mergers, acquisitions and integrations. In 1983 he was appointed sales director of Appleyard Vehicle Contracts. Five years later he moved to JCT600 Motor Group where he formed its contract hire subsidiary, JCT600 Contracts. He joined TSB in 1995 to lead that company’s entry into the contract hire sector.
Two years later he joined Velo North, a Kleinwort Benson subsidiary, and was subsequently promoted to managing director of Velo Ltd before returning to Lloyds TSB in 2000. He was then appointed managing director of Black Horse Vehicle Management (BHVM) following its acquisition of Chartered Trust. He oversaw the acquisitions of ACL Autolease and First National Vehicle Holdings to create Lloyds TSB Autolease.
In 2001 Stead was appointed chairman of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s (BVRLA) leasing and fleet management committee and in 2007 became BVRLA chairman.
In March 2009 he was promoted to contract hire director of Lloyds Banking Group to head the combined Lex and Autolease businesses – UK’s largest fleet lessor.
Stead now also holds non-executive directorships at Vertu Motors plc, Prohire plc and Merrion Fleet Management, the second largest leasing company in Ireland.
Commenting on his involvement with APD Nigel Stead said: “I have known Paul Turner and APD for many years. I’ve always been impressed by their competencies and respect for the quality of their research and industry leading programmes which they have successfully delivered to our industry.
“It is a privilege to be invited to join and support the board at APD as it moves into a significant expansion programme, not just here in Europe, but elsewhere in the global market”.
“We are delighted that Nigel has joined our board”, said APD’s executive chairman, Paul Turner. “Nigel brings huge experience and expertise which will be instrumental in the enlargement of our interests globally, through acquisitions, and widening the use of the APD’s Contact.360 award-winning research platforms and our associated consultancy services”.
