Andrew Cope, the driving force behind the success of vehicle leasing giant Zenith, is joining the board of Synergy Automotive – one of the UK’s leading vehicle leasing and finance credit brokers.
A co-founder of Zenith in 1989, Mr Cope was instrumental in leading the company through five private equity buyouts between 2003-2014, before spearheading the MBO of incident management and roadside recovery specialist FMG a year after joining its board in 2014.
Working alongside Synergy Automotive MD and founder, Paul Parkinson, the non-executive director will help to shape the strategy and vision of the 23-strong business at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate, which is marking unprecedented growth in its 10th year of trading.
Leasing more than £29m of vehicles at retail value in the last financial year, Synergy Automotive plans to increase that by over 30% to £42m this financial year.
Acknowledged for delivering excellence in customer service, the business has been awarded Gold Trusted Merchant status from the global feedback engine Feefo for achieving a 100% customer service rating for two consecutive years across 2015 and 2016.
Synergy Automotive MD, Paul Parkinson, said:
Andrew’s appointment marks another milestone in Synergy’s development. Innovation, coupled with ongoing investment to deliver top class customer service, is instrumental to furthering our success and Andrew’s powerful track record will accelerate our wider goals and vision.
Thanks go to KPMG’s Leeds Corporate Finance Team, Christian Mayo and Graham Pearce, who have been instrumental in working with us throughout the last 16 months, supported by their excellent legal team headed up by Nick Roome.
Mr Cope said:
Under Paul’s dynamic leadership, Synergy Automotive has carved a strong reputation in the industry. Earmarked as ‘one to watch’, the business has enormous potential to continue its growth trajectory and I’m looking forward to drawing on my experience to help it continue to go from strength to strength. Many who know me will be surprised about my involvement, but Synergy and other businesses like it are re-writing the book on how to deliver vehicles in the 21st Century.
A champion of driving industry standards, Synergy Automotive is a member of the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA) which invited Paul Parkinson onto its National Leasing Broker Committee. Paul Parkinson was the only North of England committee member invited onto a special BVRLA delegation to meet with HMRC/Treasury officials in London to discuss the future of company car tax.
