Carparison Leasing appoint Matt Woodward as firm’s first Operations Director

Carparison Leasing are thrilled to announce the appointment of Matt Woodward as Operations Director

The newly created role reflects the growth of the business since its formation in 2018, and recognises the personal contribution Matt Woodward continues to have to its success

Carparison Leasing are delighted to confirm a change of role for former General Manager Matt Woodward, who has taken on the new post of Operations Director at Carparison.

Matt Woodward has been at the helm of Carparison and its team since its formation in 2018. Despite leading the 52-strong Exeter-based team through a global pandemic and ongoing supply shortages, business and morale is still booming.

Woodward said, “My new role signifies how mature our business has become over a short period of time and the growth we’ve experienced despite significant challenges. And this change reflects my commitment to continuing our trajectory without compromising on the quality of service we’re so proud of. Joining our accomplished directorship is a real privilege and I look forward to doing the role justice.”

Woodward brought a wealth of experience with him when joining Carparison. With roots firmly in automotive, he had previously run the fleet sales team for Mercedes-Benz South West and another multi-brand vehicle dealership in Devon.

As the average age of UK directors surpassed 60 for the first time in 2017, Woodward, aged 34, bucks the aging trend of those reaching director level in this country. Whatever the reason, Carparison has become a driving force for positive change in Woodward’s care.

In 2020, they were the first leasing broker in the UK to promote their commission earnings before it was a legal requirement to do so. Where the industry average is 20%, Carparison is also proud to have strong female representation throughout its ranks (41%), with over 50% of those at senior management level identifying as female. This equipped them to trial offering the choice of female-only automotive advice, which is still ongoing.

Inclusion and transparency is at the heart of Carparison’s ethos. When quizzed about the reasons for his success, Woodward cited the flow of ideas without internal hierarchy as one of his biggest strengths.

“One of my proudest achievements is the implementation of what we call our ‘Business Improvement Taskforce’. This allows those at all stages of their career to bring ideas to the table and pave the way for the future of our business. To this day, we are receiving, discussing and implementing ideas that we wouldn’t have had sight on any other way.”

And they’re doing something right! 

Carparison Leasing have enjoyed an illustrious four years under Woodward’s leadership. This includes being named Best Leasing Broker at the 2021 AM Awards, the Best Automotive Company to Work For in the UK during the Best Companies’ 2022 Q3 Survey and receiving the Leasing Broker Federations Marketing and Innovation Award in 2021 and 2022.

On the Best Companies win, Woodward commented, “There is no bigger reward than having a successful business that people actively want to be a part of. It would all be for nothing if I didn’t walk through the doors of Carparison HQ and truly feel it is a special place to be.”

This success is compounded by the launch of Carparison’s sub-brands Vanparison, for van leasing, and Corparison, for corporate fleet solutions including supply, fleet management and salary sacrifice.