S h a r e
2025 Wrapped: My First Year as a Fleet Alliance Appointed Representative


Posted by
Chris Rowthorn
December 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, it feels like the right time to pause, take stock, and look back on my first year as an Appointed Representative of Fleet Alliance. It’s been fast-paced, coffee-fuelled and full of conversations about how businesses can use vehicles more smartly, sustainably and affordably.
The Numbers That Tell the Story
Over the year I’ve:
- Completed 12 test drives, including the Jaecoo 7, Tesla Model Y, Kia EV3, Polestar 4, BYD Seal, Renault 5, Audi Q4 & A6 e-tron, Genesis GV60 & GV70, Mercedes GT43 AMG and more. It’s been brilliant to experience so many of the latest models first-hand.
- Set up 72 new clients and 3 salary sacrifice (SalSac) schemes – with more in the pipeline.
- Hit a personal best of 6 deals in a single day.
- Worked with 6 funders
- Consumed what feels like one trillion coffees, mostly in front of clients, at events or between motorway junctions.
On top of that, I’ve thrown myself into networking, attending 10+ groups and events including Cardiff Business Club, Castle Connections and others. The common thread: great people and better conversations.
Sustainability and Client Impact
A big focus this year has been sustainability and helping clients move towards cleaner fleets:
- Increasing BEV/PHEV adoption to 76% of all deals (that rises to 100% excluding LCVs)
- Signing the Green Growth Pledge and contributing to the Shine! and Crystal case studies – including one project that’s on track to save 109 tonnes of carbon.
- Passing a BVRLA audit with flying colours; underlining the importance of doing things properly and compliantly.
Client feedback has been a real highlight, with testimonials from organisations like Shine and Aermach, and the first repeat customers already on the books. Those relationships matter more than any single deal.
LinkedIn: From Launch Post to 125k+ Impressions
LinkedIn has been one of my main conversation spaces this year. Since January:
- Posts have generated 125,000+ impressions and reached 20,000+ members.
- I’ve had 41 posts exceed 1,000 impressions, 19 over 2,000 and 3 over 5,000.
- I’ve run 8 LinkedIn polls, covering everything from EV music puns to range anxiety and Ryder Cup predictions.
- The #FridayFun / #MakeWorkFun theme has become a regular fixture – mixing solid fleet content with the odd terrible dad joke.
Polls have thrown up some interesting insights too. The community told me that range anxiety is largely a thing of the past, but charging infrastructure is still a concern. And when it came to car-related love songs, “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman ran away with it, and “Jingle Au-di Way” your top car-related Christmas film.
Along the way we’ve played with:
- Car models as music artists (BYD Seal, Genesis, Mustang Sally, “Jaecoo Bugg”, Neneh Cherry…).
- Golf-themed car names (VW Golf, VW Caddy, Ford “Range”r, Corvette Tee-Top…).
- Car-themed holiday destinations (Kia Rio, Seat Ibiza, Ford Capri, Ferrari California…).
A bit of fun? Yes. But it’s opened doors to some very serious business conversations.
A Year of Milestones & Moments
Month by month, a few standout memories:
January–March: Launch as an AR, BVRLA and FCA authorisations, first LinkedIn-generated appointment, first networking events, plus that now-famous EV song poll (AC/DC narrowly edging “EV-erybody (Backstreet’s Back)”).
April–June: First customer signed, first vehicle delivered, first salary sacrifice client live, Green Growth Pledge, Commercial Vehicle Show and the post on DVLA that sparked a lot of engagement.
July–September: More SalSac schemes, BVRLA audit, first batch order, first repeat customer, carbon savings case study and Ryder Cup poll fun.
October–December: “Cardiff Clarkson” Tesla Model Y review, Genesis Ride & Drive, Castle Connections presentation, more events in Glasgow, Windsor and Cardiff Bay, and even a coach trip to Bristol Rugby to round things off.
Away from the desk, I managed to squeeze in 26 football matches, taking me up to 46 Premiership/EFL grounds visited so far. Not quite a fleet stat, but very on-brand for me.
Overall, It’s been a year of learning, listening and building – with clients, funders, partners and a fantastic Fleet Alliance team behind the scenes.
If you’d like to explore company car policies, salary sacrifice schemes, or how to make your fleet greener and more cost-effective in 2026, I’d love a chat.
(And yes, the coffee is on me.)
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the year, and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
You also might like…
If you liked this article then check out our posts about similar topics
Martin Brown honoured by leasing association
Executive Chair Martin Brown was honoured last night by the British Vehicle & Rental Association (BVRLA) at its annu...
When charging an EV is as quick as refuelling with petrol
Imagine a charge for an electric car adding almost as many miles of range as a fill-up with petrol in about the same amo...
The Fleet Management MOT: 7 Key Inspection Points
You wouldn’t run a vehicle without an MOT, yet many fleets run for years without ever inspecting the company managing ...
EVs – what’s coming next in 2026
There’s seemingly no stopping the flow of new electric cars (EVs), as a greater variety of models, new entrants contin...
We do the Salary Sacrifice thinking for Mortgage Brain
The people at Mortgage Brain spend all day working on mortgage technology to help intermediaries and lenders, so when th...
First Drive: New Tiggo 8 Is A Chery Worth Picking
Why it matters The Chery Tiggo 8 is one of the most talked-about new arrivals in the UK In just four months, the brand ...
When “Good Enough” Fleet Management Stops Being Good Enough
Every year, UK organisations talk about efficiency, governance and value for money Yet behind the board reports and b...
A New Year’s Resolution for Smarter Fleet Management
Every January, businesses everywhere make the same promises: cut costs, simplify operations, do more with less But if...
Ready to make the management of your fleet more efficient?
Request a call back