Roddy Graham: integration of Masterlease has required rebranding of logo and change of name to Leasedrive Group, both the Masterlease and Velo names now discarded

Editor’s Blog in conversation with Roddy Graham

RODDY Graham tells me this morning that the company is having a bit of a corporate makeover.

Out goes the rather pleasant – at least I thought – humming bird of the old Leasedrive Velo to be replaced by an ‘LD’ combo logo in differing shades of blue.

More corporate, less individual I’d say.

It’s to do with the renaming from today of the Leasedrive Velo Group, to the Leasedrive Group.

At the end of last year, Leasedrive swallowed up Masterlease in the UK with backing from Investec, creating the largest independent privately-owned vehicle management group. Leasedrive offers products such as contract hire leases and vehicle management services to companies running company car fleets.

Roddy explained: “These changes follow the successful integration of Masterlease UK, after the group was appointed by Investec at the end of last year to manage, operate and integrate the latter’s acquisition of the UK contract hire business of Masterlease UK.

“At the time of our appointment, we stated that the fit between our group and Masterlease UK was excellent and so it has proved. Unfortunately, with the Masterlease name only available to us under licence in the short term the choice of new group name was actually quite straightforward. In future, we will be known as Leasedrive.”

It’s certainly straightforward. But I suspect logos don’t really matter that much. What does matter is the customer service. That mustn’t change.

“We remain focused to the highest level of bespoke customer service,” Roddy assured me. “We aim to deliver operational excellence.”

Even without the humming bird…