Europcar Mobility Group appoints new MD as veteran retires

Europcar Mobility Group has appointed Christian Øien as its new managing director, following the retirement of previous head Gary Smith.

Øien joined the business in 2018 as commercial director for the firm’s Denmark office, before being promoted to head of country in 2021.

Europcar said he would be asked to “develop Europcar’s role in the fleet, business travel, insurance and leisure travel markets” and “champion digital innovation across the business, as well as focus on the growth of zero tailpipe emissions solutions”.

His previous experience includes time spent in various senior and leadership positions at Nordic firms Nordcar Finance, Descom, Nexus Advokater and Link Logistics.

The new appointee said: “I am tremendously excited to be given the opportunity to lead the UK and Ireland business.

“Smith has created a strong team with a clear focus on the mobility needs of businesses and individuals and I am looking forward to building on his success to ensure Europcar continues to deliver solutions that are fit for purpose as the market evolves.

“We know that businesses and individuals want to reduce their impact on the environment and vehicle rental, whether for a few days or long-term can help them achieve that goal.”

Retirement

Smith announced his retirement following 14 years with the company, having joined as UK finance director in 2012.

Smith said: “It has been a great opportunity to lead the Europcar business in the UK and Ireland, as well as the Nordics as the shape of mobility has evolved.

“I feel very confident that the initiatives we have taken to create mobility solutions that are fit for purpose – including a significant commitment to electric motoring – give Øien and the team solid foundations to continue to build the business in the coming years.”