CAREER-VIEW MIRROR - biographies of colleagues in the automotive and mobility industries‪.‬ Andy Follows

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Stéphane Crasnier.

Stéphane is Group Chief Officer Fleet & Operations at Europcar Mobility Group a role he's held since September 1st 2023. Prior to joining Europcar Stéphane enjoyed an 18 year career with BMW Group during which he held roles in corporate sales, sales volume planning, fleet management and leasing in France, China and Australia, culminating with him being the President and Managing Director of Alphabet France.

He describes himself as still a car fan who embraces the chance to lead change & people. He's a happy man in a challenging environment!

In our conversation we talk about the leadership opportunities he had at school, how his father's role gave him early exposure to thinking internationally, his experience of military service and his progression through a series of corporate roles, first with Heineken and then in the automotive industry. Stéphane shares how he negotiated his first international assignment and what he learned from working overseas.

I first met Stéphane in China when we worked together on a post merger integration project after I'd left BMW. I was delighted to get this opportunity to sit down with him and learn more about his life and career journey. I'm happy to share his story now and I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

If you're listening for the first time, hello, I'm Andy Follows. I'm a trusted advisor to senior leaders in the automotive industry. I work alongside them and their teams to enable Fulfilling Performance. If you'd like to know more about Fulfilling Performance, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter. In it you will find easily digestible ideas on how to increase levels of performance and fulfilment for yourself and those you lead and care about.

Connect with Stéphane:
LinkedIn: Stéphane Crasnier

Thank you to our sponsors:
ASKE Consulting
Email: hello@askeconsulting.co.uk

Aquilae
Email: cvm@aquilae.co.uk
Episode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror 

If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app.

If you'd like to know more about Fulfilling Performance, check out Release the handbrake! - The Fulfilling Performance Hub

Episode recorded on  8 April, 2024.

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Larry Sutton.

Larry is the founder and CEO of RNR Tire Express. Larry established RNR Tire Express in 2000 in Tampa, FL as a company that gives consumers access to quality, name-brand tires regardless of budget or financial circumstance. It’s since grown to over 190 locations in nearly 30 states with many more stores planned.

Larry’s been interested in sales since high school, when he sold inventory from his uncle’s TV and appliance business to his teachers.

After a short stint in college, and a short-lived path down business ownership, he was introduced to the rent-to-own industry.

In our conversation we talk about how he didn't really have an appetite for school but had a work ethic and discovered that sales was a route to make money for a car and to help his mother. Larry admits that the first time he had his own business to run he didn't have the business acumen to make it succeed, and he explains how he then got a job and learned how to help the dealers he was selling to run their businesses. We discuss how he applied that learning when he got his next opportunity in business ownership. That allowed him and his partner to build up a chain of 30 stores which they eventually sold out to a larger group and Larry shares his experiences back as a corporate employee. Let's just say, I don't think I've heard anyone laugh so much about being fired before.

And of course we talk about building RNR Tire Express, how Larry came across the opportunity somewhat by chance and how he was able to bring his experience of Rent to Own in consumer appliances to the tire and custom wheel business. He explains why he didn't set out to become a franchisor and how he and his team have set about creating a common culture across almost 200 locations as a purpose driven organisation.

I loved this conversation with Larry and I am delighted to have this opportunity to share his life and career story. I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

If you're listening for the first time, hello, I'm Andy Follows. I'm a trusted advisor to senior leaders in the automotive industry. I work alongside them and their teams to enable Fulfilling Performance. If you'd like to know more about Fulfilling Performance, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter. In it you will find easily digestible ideas on how to increase levels of performance and fulfilment for yourself and those you lead and care about.

Website: RNR Tire Express

Thank you to our sponsors:
ASKE Consulting
Email: hello@askeconsulting.co.uk

Aquilae
Email: cvm@aquilae.co.uk

Episode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror 


If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. 

Episode recorded on  4 April, 2024.

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Jodie Monaghan.

Jodie is Customer Experience Director at Tusker. Tusker is an award winning car leasing company, the largest salary sacrifice scheme provider in the UK and now part of Lloyds Banking Group.

Jodie joined Tusker in 2015 as Head of Academy, where she was responsible for training and developing their people.

Prior to joining Tusker, Jodie spent over ten years at Alphabet in a variety of roles.

In our conversation Jodie reveals how two teachers took her to one side and helped her to get back on track, how her interest in becoming a forensic scientist was derailed by an accident and how she fortunately found an alternative outlet for her strengths and curiosity in an office environment.

Jodie shares how she learned about leadership during her career journey and how increasing levels of responsibility fuelled her ambition causing her to volunteer for projects that represented an investment in her development and increased the breadth of her experience across the business.

I first worked with Jodie 20 years ago. She is a wonderful colleague to have on your team and I am delighted to have this opportunity to share her life and career story. I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

If you're listening for the first time, hello, I'm Andy Follows. I'm a trusted advisor to senior leaders in the automotive industry. I work alongside them and their teams to enable Fulfilling Performance. If you'd like to know more about Fulfilling Performance, check out: Release the handbrake! - The Fulfilling Performance Hub on Substack.

Connect with Jodie
LinkedIn: Jodie Monaghan

Thank you to our sponsors:
ASKE Consulting
Email: hello@askeconsulting.co.uk

Aquilae
Email: cvm@aquilae.co.uk

Episode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror 

If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. 

Episode recorded on 18 March, 2024.

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Martin Haley.

Martin was head of Strategy and Corporate Development for BMW’s financial services businesses across the UK; and CEO and co-founder of Red Whale, the UK’s largest provider of medical education to primary care, which was acquired by the Medical Defence Union late last year.

He now works with organisations to develop strategies whilst helping them avoid the pitfalls of poor implementation. He defines strategy as ‘how to get to where you want to get to’ and backs the research evidence that the vast majority of strategies fail because of poor implementation and not because the strategic direction itself is flawed.

He is a qualified executive coach and loves working with leaders seeking to overcome imposterism.

In our conversation we talk about his route into business and into automotive marketing and strategy. Martin shares some highlights and learnings from his time at BMW and his reasons for leaving a successful corporate career to co found Red Whale. We discuss how he and his team scaled and recently sold that business and we explore his passion for coaching and strategy and what the next phase of his career looks like.

I met Martin 25 years ago when he interviewed me for a job at Alphabet. I enjoyed working with him and for him and we have stayed connected as friends and mental sparring partners. I am delighted to have this opportunity to share his life and career story and I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

If you're listening for the first time, hello, I'm Andy Follows. I'm a trusted advisor to senior leaders in the automotive industry. I work alongside them and their teams to enable Fulfilling Performance. If you'd like to know more about Fulfilling Performance, check out: Release the handbrake! - The Fulfilling Performance Hub on Substack.

Connect with Martin
LinkedIn: Martin Haley

Thank you to our sponsors:

ASKE Consulting
Email: hello@askeconsulting.co.uk

Aquilae
Email: cvm@aquilae.co.uk

Episode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  

If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. 

Episode recorded on 14 March, 2024.

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Michael Kreeft.

Michael recently retired from BMW after 37.5 years with the brand. He lived his first 32 years in the Netherlands, then started his international career with BMW in Germany and worked and lived over 22 years with BMW outside of the Netherlands That time was made up of 6.5 years in Germany, two stints of 4 years each in the UK, 4.5 years in France and 3 years in Japan.

He gained experience as CEO in the Netherlands and in France with BMW Financial Services as CFO for BMW's National sales companies in the Netherlands, UK and Japan and as a Financial manager in BMW Plant Oxford in the UK.

Michael loved his international experience and speaking languages to the extent that he is now fluent in Dutch, English, French and German as well as having a basic level of Spanish and Japanese.

He is currently ‘between jobs’ and enjoying spending his free time with family and being granddad. In due course he plans to set up his own company and become active as a coach, consultant, interim CFO and Non Executive Director.

In our conversation we talk about the de-integration of Rover Group from BMW, Brexit preparation, organising and hosting the European Soccer tournament for BMW FS employees in the Netherlands, moving to Japan during Covid and you'll hear a story that may cause you to quickly enrol on a first aid course.

My path had crossed with Michael's a few times during my time at BMW and I am delighted to have now had this opportunity for a deeper dive into his life and career story and to be able to share it here. I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

Connect with Michael
LinkedIn: Michael Kreeft

Thank you to our sponsors:

ASKE Consulting
Email: hello@askeconsulting.co.uk

Aquilae
Email: cvm@aquilae.co.uk
Release the handbrake! - The Fulfilling Performance Hub

Episode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror 


If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. 

Episode recorded on 11 March, 2024.

In this episode we are celebrating the career to date of Naeem Ghauri.

Naeem is the Chairman and a founding member of NetSol Technologies Inc., a Global provider of end to end IT solutions for the Leasing and Finance Industry. NetSol's clients are the Global Who's Who of Captive Auto Finance Companies as well as specialist Banks lending into Asset and Auto Finance for Large Enterprises, SME's and Consumers. They manage in excess of $300 Billion of their clients' Assets through their various IT platforms for over 200 clients globally.

Naeem is also a founder and former CEO of OTOZ, an On Demand Mobility platform.

OTOZ is the new enabling platform where OEMs, Auto Finance Companies, Car Dealers and Car Users will converge to create supply and demand for cars that are connected, insured, fuelled, charged, cleaned, accessible and ready for all types of journeys; an hour, a day, a week, a month or years.

NetSol has been listed on Nasdaq since 1999 and has clients in 30 countries and offices in 8.

In our conversation we discuss the influence that Naeem's entrepreneurial father had on Naeem and his brothers. We talk about why he turned away from aeronautical engineering and embraced IT. He shares openly about his successes and failures in property development in Australia and his route into NetSol with his brothers. He explains how his early years with Mercedes Benz finance were the start of a 28 year relationship between NetSol and Daimler. And we wrap up with some comments on the current landscape and NetSol's role to provide thought leadership and technology that enables their clients to be the beneficiaries of industry disruption rather than casualties.

I first heard about NetSol when I was in China in 2008 and I've met Naeem on various occasions since then. But we had never had such a detailed conversation about his life and career journey. I found it fascinating and helpful to understand Naeem's background as one of the brothers behind the NetSol business and I look forward to hearing what resonates with you.

Connect with Naeem
LinkedIn: Naeem Ghauri
Website: NETSOL

Thank you to our sponsors:
ASKE Consulting
Email: hello@askeconsulting.co.uk

Aquilae
Email: cvm@aquilae.co.uk

Release the handbrake! - The Fulfilling Performance Hub

Episode Directory on Instagram @careerviewmirror  

If you enjoy listening to our guests career stories, please follow CAREER-VIEW MIRROR in your podcast app. 

Episode recorded on 5 March, 2024.