Interview
The Financial Director
Name: Neil Golding
Company: RJ Leighfield & Sons Ltd
Role: Finance Director, with responsibility for H&S, QA, HR, IT and Operations
Term: 35 years
How did you arrive in fleet
management?
What is the fleet-related scenario
or task that you most dread?
recommendation shortly after and haven’t
looked back since.
I was asked to look after the fleet in the early
eighties by the MD; I was the company
secretary at the time and assisting the Group
Finance Director. I’ve done it ever since.
Accidents - so much time spent dealing with
increasing numbers of claims services
companies, even when third party liability has
been admitted. All in all a very frustrating and
time consuming process.
What has changed for you in your
role since moving over to FMS?
As a child, what did you want to
be when you grew up?
I really can’t remember, but was – and still
am – a huge sports fan and would have
aspired to a career in some aspect of sport,
especially hockey, cricket or rugby, all of
which are big business nowadays.
With hindsight, would you still
wish to do this now?
Absolutely! Sport has evolved dramatically
over the years; the opportunities for this
generation are enormous. It’s a great time to
be a sportsman, or a businessman involved in
sport.
How many vehicles do you look
after?
Our fleet has fluctuated over the years,
reaching around 40 at its peak. We currently
have 12 vehicles; 9 cars and 3 light
commercials.
What is the most common tasks
you deal with?
These days, my fleet routine generally
amounts to a daily check of my FleetCheck
account to see what’s due. Thankfully,
between FleetCheck and myself, we have
things nicely under control.
What is the most enjoyable
aspect of your role?
I like the fact that I have a trouble-free fleet,
with very few incidents and issues to deal
with. Our drivers are trustworthy and know
what they’re doing, and the systems I have
put in place over the years mean that my
fleet manager role is pretty pain-free.
What are the most challenging
aspects of being a fleet man