Unipart appoints new CFO

Unipart Group has announced the appointment of Darren Leigh as group chief financial officer with effect from the beginning of May.

Leigh will join the manufacturing, logistics and consultancy company after previously working at Sage PLC and Finastra.

Prior to that, Leigh worked in the rail industry with Freightliner, and gained experience in the automotive sector working with car sales group Inchcape.

Leigh said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Unipart Group and strongly admire the culture it has built based on The Unipart Way and its reputation for exceptional customer service and employee engagement.

“I know Unipart has often been at the forefront of the most important corporate innovations. I look forward to playing my part as the company continues to reinvent itself as it has so successfully done in the past, and to play a strong role in supporting and driving Unipart’s digital transformation.”

Unipart chairman and group CEO, John Neill, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Darren to our group of companies. We continue to have the benefit of a strong finance function and long-term relationships with our key customers and banks.

“Even in the best of times, we have never been complacent. We have relied on our unique company spirit, and the skills of our people, to find new and innovative approaches to meeting the real and perceived needs of our customers better than anyone else.

“Faced with perhaps the greatest challenge our generation will ever see, I am confident that Darren’s technology focus and experience will make a significant contribution as we shape the future for our company, combining our ability to implement The Unipart Way with our digital transformation. 

“This will enable us to provide new products and services and accelerate our journey to become a technology led company.”

Leigh will replace Jonathan Chitty in the role, who will be leaving the company

Neill added: “I’d like to thank Jonathan for his work over many years, and most recently, which enabled the Unipart Group Board, and its auditors PwC, to approve the financial statements for 2019 and also renew one of our main banking facilities for a further five years. 

“He leaves with our thanks for his loyalty and contribution over many years and our best wishes.”