On the move: new appointments for ubitricity, BVRLA, Be.EV and Virta
A number of new leaders and roles have been appointed at public charging company ubitricity, trade association BVRLA, charging business Be.EV and charging solutions firm Virta.
Alexander Reinhardt has become the new CEO of ubitricity having previously been the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company, which is part of the Shell group.
He began as a project manager in 2014 at the company before moving to COO in the last three years, working on operations and expansion across European markets.
Reinhardt said:
“Improving access to public charging is crucial for the continued adoption of electric vehicles, and I believe ubitricity can play a significant role in this transition. Having dedicated over a decade to ubitricity, I am excited to lead this company into its next chapter with Shell group as we continue to innovate and expand our EV charging network even further across Europe.”
Outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Kunkel said:
“Having worked closely with Alexander for several years, I’m confident that his deep understanding of ubitricity’s operations and his vision for the future make him an exceptional choice for CEO.”
BVRLA
The BVRLA has welcomed the start of 2025 with a double change at the top of its senior leadership team and committee of management.
Toby Poston has stepped into the role of Chief Executive following the retirement of Gerry Keaney after more than 11 years in the role.
The association has also named Lakshmi Moorthy as the BVRLA’s new Chairperson, replacing Jon Lawes after his extended tenure.
Commenting on his new role, Poston said:
“I am responsible for making sure that the BVRLA is heard in the right places and agile enough to meet member needs. Delivering decarbonisation, supporting the vehicle leasing sector’s response to the recent Court of Appeal judgement, and navigating a turbulent trading environment all require us to be on the front foot. I am fortunate to have a strong grounding in this sector and an excellent team ready to respond.”
Lakshmi Moorthy added:
“During Jon’s tenure, supported immensely by Gerry’s leadership and the BVRLA team beyond, the association has grown a considerable amount. I have big boots to fill but am confident that we will retain this upwards trajectory. In Toby, the BVRLA has a passionate leader that knows our sector inside out. I look forward to us working together at a time when members are facing challenges from all directions.”
Be.EV
EV charging business Be.EV has announced the appointment of Baz (Sebastian) Street as head of business development.
Street comes from EV charging network Gridserve, where he spent more than six years rising to head of origination where he led the sales team. As part of his remit, he will be actively looking for new sites and partnerships to add to Be.EV’s growing roster of relationships, it said.
The network is majority-owned by Octopus Energy Generation, who have pledged £110m of funding. The CPO also secured £55 million in debt finance from NatWest and KfW-IPEX Bank. The network is well-placed to become the UK’s most trusted and reliable charge point operator.
Baz Street, head of business development, added:
“I’m eager to contribute to Be.EV’s mission to expand and enhance electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the UK. Joining Be.EV represents a great opportunity for me to be at the forefront of EV charging in helping our customers to love every electric journey.
“The milestones Be.EV reached in 2024 shows the ability to deliver EV charging at scale and we’re aiming to use the existing platform to do much more in the years to come.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, said:
“Baz will be working with the management team to develop and deliver our business plan for the next three years and achieve our goals and ambitions.
“Our push into the geographic south is well underway and Baz will enhance this strategy.”
Virta
EV charge solution company Virta has appointed Ross Basnett to enhance its fleet offering.
Basnett, who has almost 20 years’ experience in the fleet and mobility sector, joins the UK operation of a global pioneer in developing smart electric vehicle charging services. Virta believes that fleet vehicles hold the key to driving faster adoption of EVs which, in turn, will lead to improvements in charging infrastructure. It supports leasing companies, company car, service and heavy duty fleets through a range of end-to-end charging solutions.
Ross began his journey in fleet management with supermarket Somerfield, initially with responsibility for the home delivery team, but eventually looking after the entire fleet of 1,400 vans and cars. He has also held senior roles with Fleet Operations, The Miles Consultancy, Arval and Mobilleo.
Ross Basnett said:
“My role is to look at the products and services we are offering, how they fit with the requirements of fleets today and how these can be further developed. The UK team has done a lot of work in this area, so I am coming in with a fresh pair of eyes to look at what more we can do to add value for fleets.”
“The feeling is that we have more or less cracked it with company cars in terms of capability, suitability, infrastructure and tax incentives. But there is no equivalent for commercial vehicles.
“There is also concern around charging. Many vans are taken to drivers’ homes and parked on-street, with no access to charging, meaning time out of schedules during the working day.”
Images courtesy of ubitricity, BVRLA, Be.EV and Virta