The Peter Vardy Group’s CarMoney motor finance operation is aiming to boost its presence in the North East with the appointment of Owain Thompson as regional sales manager.

South Shields-based Thompson joins the CarMoney business from Vertu Motors, where he was a sales co-ordinator, after a year which saw it add 300 new dealers to its network and secure £782 million of approved car finance for customers across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

CarMoney is part of a Peter Vardy product portfolio which recently sold its SilverBullet car retail software business to Keyloop and is now preparing to launch a new Flex Auto vehicle rental service.

The business said in a statement that it is attempting to disrupt the UK car finance market by applying technology to “take away the discomfort of buying a car” through helping guests smoothly navigate their way through the process, from choosing the right vehicle from a respected dealer, to putting the best finance package in place.

On joining the business, Thompson said: “I applied to join CarMoney because I saw the opportunity to progress my career in an exciting and forward-thinking business.

“I believe I have lots to offer with my experience and extensive knowledge of the motor finance industry. CarMoney’s ethos and culture really attracted me to the role.

“In my previous position my job touched on all areas of the car finance market including prime, near prime and subprime.

“I was also involved in the buy online/ecommerce team which led me to understand customers wants and needs better when it came to buying a vehicle online, while providing also, the highest quality customer service experience.”

Alastair Grier, the managing director of CarMoney, said: “We warmly welcome Owain to our growing UK-wide team of automotive sector professionals. He will strengthen existing relationships with our dealer network, while also identifying and recruiting new dealers and introducers throughout the North East to come onboard and work with CarMoney.”

CarMoney works with Fintech businesses, AutoConvert, Lending Metrics and Xero, to increase efficiencies and to give customers and dealer partners a faster, slicker experience when financing a car.

It claims that a focus on helping car retailers not only to increase the volume of cars they sell but also to enhance the profitability of each car sold is at the heart of its business ethos.

CarMoney said that rising demand for online motor finance means that it is now accelerating its pace of progress in recruitment, technology, operational performance, and colleague training.