Volkswagen Fleet Services has undergone a team restructure to increase the focus and service offered to the contract hire and leasing market.

As part of the restructure, Ed Hummel has been promoted to the new role of national contract hire and leasing manager. Hummel will report directly to Vince Kinner, head of fleet services.

In this new role, Hummel will lead Volkswagen’s approach to the leasing market and will take responsibility for the recently introduced dealer direct sales programme.

He will be supported by two regional contract hire and leasing managers, Melanie Miles and Peter Gallier, who will have day to day responsibility for developing closer relationships with the leasing companies.

Kevin Eastwood, fleet aftersales manager, will also be included in the new contract hire and leasing team. Eastwood has worked within the fleet team for 12 years and will assume responsibility for all Volkswagen’s Fleet aftersales programmes, including fleet package pricing. Kevin will lead two account executives to deliver unparalleled levels of aftersales service to Volkswagen’s largest fleet customers.

To support the development of the recently introduced dealer direct sales programme, two direct sales performance managers, Jon Richardson and Mike Peach, will also report directly to Hummel.

Volkswagen said the appointments would ensure the brand maintains “a strong network of dedicated fleet dealers in the right locations”.

Hummel joined Volkswagen from Ford in 2004. Since joining Volkswagen he has worked in operations, sales planning and most recently as regional fleet sales manager covering the south.

Taking over this regional fleet sales manager role will be Andy Bateman who joins the fleet services team from the Volkswagen operations department.