NextGear Capital adds senior expertise with new appointments

Wholesale funding specialist NextGear Capital has made a duo of senior appointments as it looks to continue its growth trajectory and realise ambitious plans.

Chris Stakes has been appointed Commercial Director, bringing with him more than two decades of automotive finance and funding experience. With responsibility for product design, pricing and business strategy, Stakes brings valuable experience to the company as it firms up its senior leadership team.

Stakes has spent the past six years leading his own automotive lending consultancy, developing e-commerce products and leading digital transformation for several European businesses including Admiral and Secure Trust Bank. Prior to this, he spent 17 years working for Black Horse Motor Finance, holding several senior roles. This involved managing dealer facing teams as well as supporting the development of motor strategy and operational excellence.

Chris Stakes is joined by Victoria Gardner, who has been appointed as Director of NextGear Development. The role assumes responsibility for spearheading future growth of NextGear Capital’s specialist vehicle stock-funding offering. Gardner brings more than 14 years of remarketing experience to the new role, most recently a six-year stint as Head of Remarketing at Epyx, a major fleet vehicle management technology provider.

Liam Quegan, Managing Director, NextGear Capital, commented: “It is important that we continue to attract and retain the very best talent as we continue our post-pandemic growth plans. Chris and Victoria are two highly experienced professionals who will bring a wealth of knowledge, passion, and drive to our team. They both have direct experience of working closely with dealer customers and will help us to further improve and tailor our product offering to customers.”

Chris Stakes, Commercial Director, NextGear Capital, added: “Having spent the best part of my career working in the field of automotive finance, I cannot think of a more exciting business to join than NextGear Capital. This is a brand that is well known in the market for innovation, high levels of customer service, and unrivalled market knowledge. It is a great time to join the business as it looks to continue its growth journey.”