Harris MAXUS UK has appointed Gary Brown as its UK sales director in a move aimed at strengthening the leadership team and driving further growth in the UK light commercial vehicle (LCV) market.
Brown will formally take up the role in June this year and will be introduced to the Harris MAXUS UK dealer network at the company’s April dealer conference, where he will outline his strategic priorities and vision for the brand.
In his new role, Brown will lead the UK sales strategy for Harris MAXUS UK, working closely with the dealer network and fleet customers to accelerate growth across both diesel and electric LCV sectors.
Brown brings more than 20 years of experience in commercial vehicle sales, with a strong track record of transforming dealership operations and delivering sustained growth across both retail and fleet departments, the company said.
His career includes senior leadership positions at manufacturer and dealer level, including head of dealer sales at Renault Trucks, sales manager at Volvo Truck & Bus South, national dealer retail sales manager at Mercedes, dealer principal with Ridgeway, Pentagon and subsequently Marshalls, managing five depots across the Mercedes commercial vehicle network.
Most recently, Brown was general manager for Mercedes commercial operations in Oman, where he spent eight years overseeing a multi-site business.
In Oman, Brown attained first place market position in the truck market for two consecutive years, delivering annual sales of 300 vehicles across four dealership locations, increasing service utilisation from 45% to 90%, turning a loss-making parts business into a profitable £4m annual revenue stream.
These results were delivered despite considerable operational constraints, the company said, highlighting Brown’s ability to drive performance, profitability and sustainable growth.
Brown will focus on expanding Harris MAXUS UK’s presence in the UK through three core priorities, namely dealer network sales development, fleet market expansion and, importantly, competitive agility by leveraging Harris Group’s ability to make rapid decisions and respond quickly to market opportunities compared with larger, more complex competitors.
Brown said: “The platform on which the MAXUS brand sits has so much potential. In a short period of time, we have reached 2.4% market share with some of the highest share in the electric van segment.
“This is a business with genuine growth potential. What excites me most is the opportunity to work with a manufacturer that can move quickly.
“While others may still be working through layers of decision-making, we can already be delivering solutions.
“With the right dealer support, the right team and focused execution, I can see us taking the market by storm.”
Steve Hunt, Harris MAXUS UK MD added: “Gary represents exactly the kind of experienced, results-driven leader we need to accelerate the brand’s growth in the UK market.
“His track record speaks for itself; he has consistently accepted challenging new roles, identified their potential and turned them into highly successful operations.
“Just as importantly, he understands the dynamics of dealer businesses, and the needs of fleet customers.
“Gary doesn’t simply drive sales, he builds sustainable, profitable operations.
“We are confident that his expertise, combined with our excellent product offering and growing dealer network, will deliver significant rewards for the business and, crucially, a compelling business case for new customers to switch to MAXUS.”
