Select Car Leasing West Midlands celebrates 10 years in business

The West Midlands office of Select Car Leasing is celebrating 10 years in business – with its success underpinned by a friendship going back more than three decades.

The regional hub of the national vehicle lease firm is led by Principals Steven Gates and Stephen Hunt and offers a full vehicle lease service, from individual cars and vans to larger business fleets.

They joined forces to become a leasing broker back on 31st October 2016 and have since grown from a two-man operation to a dedicated team of 14 staff members today.

But Steven and Stephen’s friendship dates back much further than that, having first met 30 years ago when they crossed paths at a different leasing firm.

Through industry challenges, the duo say they’ve always found solutions with a level-headed and joined-up approach.

And by focusing on looking after their workforce, they’ve seen the team thrive; they’ll lease around 2,000 cars and vans to customers this year alone.

October also marks five years since they joined Select Car Leasing as an Appointed Representative, having previously traded as Leasehub.

Steven says: “A business is built on its staff and our team does such an excellent job. It’s about making them feel comfortable and appreciated and, for me, there’s nothing better than that. It’s a great feeling to have such a strong group.”

Stephen adds: “We don’t micro-manage the team. Instead, we support our staff and allow them to thrive while rewarding them properly. There’s a great atmosphere within the group and I think it shows in the way we do business.”

Select Car Leasing West Midlands – how it all began

The pair first met in the mid 1990s while working at a lease company and, many years down the line, also found themselves sharing an office at Cheshire-based dealership group Clare James Automotive, providing fleet sales for VW, Audi, BMW, SEAT, and Skoda.

When Sytner bought the business, redundancy followed. It was at that point the pair said, ‘Let’s start a business together’.

Select Car Leasing West Midlands – beginning as Leasehub

Steven and Stephen began trading as Leasehub at the end of October 2016.

A move to dedicated office space in Romsley, Worcestershire, followed in 2017 as the team began to grow.

Joining Select Car Leasing

On October 1st 2021, the West Midlands team became an Appointed Representative (AR) of Select Car Leasing – a move they describe as ‘extremely exciting’.

Stephen reveals: “Coming out of the difficulties of Covid-19, we knew we needed additional support and joining Select Car Leasing was a massive opportunity for us.

“Select’s standing in the marketplace and its powerful branding instantly gives you credibility and our business has gone from strength-to-strength since joining as a regional office.

“Yes, we have an amazing team of people who have put in a hell of a lot of work. But we’re also working behind a brand that supports, nurtures and coaches us while standing above all other brokers in the industry.”