IT’S ALWAYS a pleasure to meet up with the congenial Jeff Peyton-Bruhl. Jeff, who runs Hyundai’s fleet operation, is a top chap.

He’s good conversation about the business, but well and truly grounded with his family too – and sounds like both his sons could have good careers in football, too.

But, of course, the growing Hyundai business was preoccupying Jeff’s thinking as the launch of the new Hyundai i40 estate, which goes on sale on 08 September 2011, fast approaches.

“As part of our preparations to make sure we’re fully on song for the i40’s launch, we’re moving Hyundai Contract Hire to ALD Automotive leasing, which should provide us with more competitive leasing rates on the i40,” Jeff explained to me.

“We’ve also grown the Hyundai fleet team with the appointment of Martin Wilson who looks after end users and the dealer fleet business, so he’ll be the guy who looks after small businesses and SME fleets. We think the Hyundai Contract Hire product supplied through our dealers will be very attractive to small businesses and their fleets. We just need to make sure we get the business owners and business car managers into the car,” Jeff continued, adding:

“We’ve also taken on more on the operations side, with a team looking after the contract hire and major rental customers, as well as the remarketing of our cars. So, yes, things are changing at Hyundai and all for the good.”

Modestly, Jeff underplays his new role as national corporate operations and remarketing manager. But it’s an important step up as Jeff certainly does need to make sure his team is beefed up and ready to go: the Hyundai i40 will put the company into a new position as a serious player in the business car and company car fleet market.

“We’ve got a very competitive proposition with the new Hyundai i40 – and it’s the start of something much bigger as we bring more product that will have even greater appeal for small businesses,” Jeff added.

Editor’s Blog in conversation with Hyundai’s Jeff Peyton-Bruhl