Nigel Johnson appointed General Manager of Hertz UAE

Hertz UAE, which is forging ahead with an AED60 million expansion of its car rental and leasing operation this year, has appointed Nigel Johnson as its new General Manager.

With 14 years experience in the leasing industry, Johnson takes over from Bob Farrow who has been promoted within the Al Futtaim Group. Farrow, who has managed the expansion of Hertz UAE’s operations since late 2002, has been appointed Senior General Manager of Business Development at Al Futtaim Private Company, LLC. 

Johnson recently relocated to Dubai from the UK to take charge of the ongoing expansion of the Hertz fleet of vehicles and network of branches across the UAE. He previously worked in the fleet operation division of UK based automotive solutions provider, Inchcape.

In his new role at Al Futtaim Private Company, LLC, Farrow, a well known figure in the car rental industry, will look to introduce new brands to the Al Futtaim Group, expand current brands and acquire additional companies.

Hertz UAE, which currently operates 13 branches in the UAE, is opening four new branches this year at Dubai Marina, Dubai Festival City, Sheikh Zayed Rd and Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, as well as two full service mega-sites.

The new sites at Dubai Investment Park and Mussafah in Abu Dhabi will include parking for 500 vehicles and full servicing facilities.

Hertz is also expanding its fleet of vehicles, which is expected to grow to 8,500 vehicles this year compared with 6,500 in 2007. Several new models have been added to the fleet including the 2008 Honda Accord, 2008 Toyota Landcruiser and the Toyota FJ Cruiser, with further plans to add the Honda MRV, the new Jeep Cherokee and the Honda City later this year.

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