The fleet management industry has such a diverse range of people and roles, and everyone has a unique story of their journey in our industry. This month we welcome Marc Sibbald who is the incoming Director at IPWEA FLEET.
FI: Congratulations on your new role as Fleet Director at IPWEA, what attracted you to the position?
MS: I’ve been involved with IPWEA via Ross [Moody] and Rob [Wilson] for several years through Fleet Auto News and I always liked the passion they have for fleet management as a profession. They have developed a program which educates and informs people on the nuts and bolts of managing a fleet while linking that to strategic thinking and asset investment decisions.
When Rob mentioned he was planning to step back I got excited about the opportunity to continue the great work IPWEA FLEET was doing as we enter the transition phase to electric mobility.
FI: What’s your background in the fleet industry?
MS: Well, it started when I left school. I completed an apprenticeship with Sydney Water working on cars, trucks, and plant. I didn’t know they were fleet vehicles back then, but shortly after I joined Ampol (when they were Caltex) as a maintenance controller in their fleet management department. That was my real introduction to fleet vehicles.
After 10 years with Ampol in various roles I went to work for SG Fleet where I got more exposure to the financing and risk management aspects of managing a fleet. And more recently I was in the tyre industry which involved working with transport fleets on tyre maintenance programs.
FI: What does the role of Fleet Director involve?
MS: The Director IPWEA FLEET is accountable for the strategic development of IPWEA FLEET which means working with the members and Fleet Council to develop training and education programs that are relevant to the industry.
Ultimately the goal is to help people increase their knowledge base and skill levels via professional development so they can become better Fleet Managers. IPWEA FLEET does this via the Fleet Management Certificate course and other training events during the year.
FI: What fleet trends do you see emerging in 2022 and beyond?
MS: Obviously electric vehicles will be a big thing for fleets in the next few years as Australia accelerates towards zero emission vehicles. Though the three big themes I see emerging are around technology, costs, and emissions. I think the decisions Fleet Managers make over the next decade will be driven by these issues.
Would you like to share your story as a fleet practitioner with others in the IPWEA FLEET community? If so, then please email your interest to the editor.
