Liquid Fleet appoints new business development head to support fleet expansion

Liquid Fleet has promoted Deborah Stewart-Downs to Head of Business Development as the vehicle rental and leasing provider targets growth to 5,000 vehicles by the end of 2028.

The appointment comes as Liquid Fleet expects to report a 20% increase in revenues for 2026, supported by growing demand for corporate short-term leasing and rental vehicles through its broker partners.

The company currently operates a fleet of approximately 3,000 vehicles and is expanding its business development team to establish a stronger national presence across its corporate, rental and broker markets.

Stewart-Downs joined Liquid Fleet five months ago, bringing extensive experience in the fleet and automotive sectors.

She previously spent nine years with vehicle conversion specialist Bott, most recently as Head of Sales, following an 18-year career at Vauxhall Motors as a Corporate Sales Manager.

As part of its expansion plans, Liquid Fleet has made three further appointments to its business development team.

Leigh Hartzenberg has joined as Business Development Manager – North, bringing experience from the facilities management sector and vehicle rental industry, including a previous role with Dawson Group.

Lucy Summers has been appointed Business Development Manager – Central, having previously worked for Enterprise Mobility.

Meanwhile, Grace Hall has joined as Broker Manager, responsible for developing Liquid Fleet’s relationships and business opportunities within the broker community. Hall previously worked in the contract hire and leasing sector with Motorlease and Summit Drive.

The company is also recruiting for a southern business development position, which will complete its largest sales team to date.

Stewart-Downs commented: “It’s great to be offered this position as it draws on my strengths in building and developing a sales team. The company is very focussed on its ambition of growing to 5,000 vehicles and the team and I will be working hard to achieve this goal through growing our customer based across broker, rental and corporate sales.”

Liquid Fleet said demand for shorter-term leasing arrangements is creating opportunities for further growth, particularly among businesses seeking greater flexibility in managing their vehicle requirements.

The company also sees continued potential in the rental broker market, supported by its vehicle sourcing relationships with 20 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Martin Potter, Commercial Director at Liquid Fleet, said: “We are already extremely pleased how the sales team is shaping up at a time when more companies than ever are looking at the flexibility that shorter term leases provide its employees.

“Meanwhile, the rental broker sector continues to offer us opportunities for growth from our strong stock sourcing partnerships we have in place with 20 OEMs.”