ed cowell fraikin

Vehicle rental firm Fraikin has welcomed a new chief executive and chief finance officer to its board of directors.

Chief executive Ed Cowell has joined Fraikin after two years with tools and plant hire firm Speedy Services and began work in his new role this week.

He said he looked forward to bringing new ideas to the firm and “playing a key part in shaping the next chapter in Fraikin’s near 40-year UK history”.

Cowell is supported by recently appointed chief finance officer Bryn Thomas. Thomas was most most recently director of commercial finance at Peugeot Citroen Automobiles.

Petit Forestier announced it was buying Fraikin in June, in a deal that will create a company with combined sales of €1.3bn (£1.09bn).

The French firm has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Fraikin to buy 100% of the business with financial backing from CVC Capital Partners and Eurazeo.