LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Inchcape announced on Wednesday that Gijsbert de Zoeten would join the group as chief financial officer-designate on 27 August, and would join the board as an executive director and assume the full CFO role from 1 September.
The FTSE 250 automotive distribution, retail and services firm had previously announced that Richard Howes was formally stepping down from the board and leaving the group on 31 August, to take up the CFO position at Bunzl.

"We are delighted that Gijsbert is joining Inchcape," said the company's chairman Nigel Stein.

"He will bring a wealth of complementary experience to the executive team and to the board, and we very much look forward to welcoming him to the group.

"I would also like to wish Richard well in his new role and to thank him for his contribution over the last three years."

Inchcape said de Zoeten was, until 2018, CFO at LeasePlan Corporation - an international fleet management and mobility services company with a turnover of €9bn (£8.23bn) and a car fleet of 1.7 million.

He joined LeasePlan in 2016, and was said to have been "integral" to the "significant transformation" of the business, following its sale by Volkswagen Group, which reportedly included a "strong focus" on "operational excellence".

De Zoeten left in late 2018, when IPO plans for the business were cancelled.

Previously, he had a successful 27-year career at Unilever, where he had a range of senior financial and operational roles leading to his six-year position as the CFO of Unilever Europe.

During his time at Unilever, de Zoeten apparently gained "substantial" operational experience, inclusive of new business integration, across Europe and the Americas.

Additionally, he is a member of the supervisory board of Technical University Delft.

"Gijsbert was the outstanding candidate and I very much look forward to working with him as we continue to build on the opportunities ahead for Inchcape," said chief executive officer Stefan Bomhard.

"He brings extensive experience within B2B and B2C environments, a strong foundation that will support the Ignite strategy, and through LeasePlan, a knowledge in mobility services which will be beneficial as Inchcape continues to develop its capabilities in an evolving industry."

Gijsbert de Zoeten himself said he was "delighted" to be joining Inchcape.

"I can see the opportunities that Inchcape has before it and I look forward to working with the team to develop the business further," he added.

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