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About LeasePlan
About LeasePlan
Helen Davis – Vehicle Supply Manager, Operations & Service Division
What is Helen's role?
Helen oversees a team of six people who are responsible for purchasing vehicles, as well as managing all of LeasePlan’s supplying vehicle dealers and maintaining positive relationships with them.
Career history
Helen joined LeasePlan in 2005 following seven years as a photographer, where she learnt valuable customer service skills and developed relationships with a large number of clients. Following her career change, Helen worked a short spell as a temporary member of the LeasePlan purchasing team, before being given a permanent position as a Vehicle Buyer – and after two years of hard work she was promoted to Senior Vehicle Buyer. Helen knew that there were plenty of opportunities for career progression at LeasePlan, which is why she is a long-serving member of the team more than 10 years later.
Helen’s journey with LeasePlan
After a year in the role of Senior Vehicle Buyer, Helen wanted to further her knowledge of the company, so she undertook a secondment and went into the role of buying team manager. It stood her in great stead, as her next role would be a promotion to Fleet Administration Manager. Five years later, Helen made the step up to Vehicle Supply Manager and now Dealer Engagement Manager.
“It’s all about working hard and focusing on the next step, setting up goals, and thinking about where you want to be two years from now,” she says.
What's more important, what you know or who you know?
“It is a bit of both. Make sure that you are good at your job, but also make sure that people know that you are good.”
Helen emphasises that networking is very important because if people don’t know you, chances are they’re not likely to consider you for promotion. It is important to build up your personal brand and market yourself.
What advice would Helen give her 16-year-old self about her future career?
“Don’t be afraid. You always learn in everything you do. Life is all about experience and it doesn’t always work as you want it to. Try new things, take risks and don’t be frightened about them, you’ll learn from it. If you don’t learn, you cannot develop yourself.”
What is Helen's role?
Helen oversees a team of six people who are responsible for purchasing vehicles, as well as managing all of LeasePlan’s supplying vehicle dealers and maintaining positive relationships with them.
Career history
Helen joined LeasePlan in 2005 following seven years as a photographer, where she learnt valuable customer service skills and developed relationships with a large number of clients. Following her career change, Helen worked a short spell as a temporary member of the LeasePlan purchasing team, before being given a permanent position as a Vehicle Buyer – and after two years of hard work she was promoted to Senior Vehicle Buyer. Helen knew that there were plenty of opportunities for career progression at LeasePlan, which is why she is a long-serving member of the team more than 10 years later.
Helen’s journey with LeasePlan
After a year in the role of Senior Vehicle Buyer, Helen wanted to further her knowledge of the company, so she undertook a secondment and went into the role of buying team manager. It stood her in great stead, as her next role would be a promotion to Fleet Administration Manager. Five years later, Helen made the step up to Vehicle Supply Manager and now Dealer Engagement Manager.
“It’s all about working hard and focusing on the next step, setting up goals, and thinking about where you want to be two years from now,” she says.
What's more important, what you know or who you know?
“It is a bit of both. Make sure that you are good at your job, but also make sure that people know that you are good.”
Helen emphasises that networking is very important because if people don’t know you, chances are they’re not likely to consider you for promotion. It is important to build up your personal brand and market yourself.
What advice would Helen give her 16-year-old self about her future career?
“Don’t be afraid. You always learn in everything you do. Life is all about experience and it doesn’t always work as you want it to. Try new things, take risks and don’t be frightened about them, you’ll learn from it. If you don’t learn, you cannot develop yourself.”
