A week of changes

18 September 2023

Former prime minister Harold Wilson once observed that a week is a long time in politics and the same could be said of the hire industry. 

I was actually on holiday last week but kept an occasional eye on emails and social media posts, and I was surprised by a number of announcements from some hire executives who have decided to move on. 

Last Tuesday, Brian Sherlock announced that he is relinquishing his post as MD of Brandon Hire Station to pursue other opportunities beyond the Vp group. He joined Vp in 2013 as MD of the original Hire Station business, which acquired Brandon in 2017. He has also been Chair of the HAE and will continue as the association’s President. 

His departure comes little more than a week after the retirement of John Singleton, who had 25 years’ service with Vp, having held senior posts with responsibilty for group companies including ESS Safeforce, Groundforce, Airpac, Torrent Trackside, MEP and Brandon Hire Station. He joined Vibroplant, the original name for Vp, in December 1998 and helped transition the business from plant into a group of specialist hire activities. 

And last Friday, Asif Latief announced that he will be leaving Boels Rental. He has been MD of its UK business since January 2020, having previously spent nearly 18 years with A-Plant (now Sunbelt Rentals) in a number of key positions. 

Asif (pictured below) tells me that it’s a bittersweet decision for him, being proud of the rebuilding of the Boels operation in this country under his stewardship and the positive culture that has been created. 

He will be staying in the industry and we’ll be seeing Asif before long in a senior role with another hirer. More on that in due course.