Harris Maxus UK has officially promoted Gary Brown to commercial operations director, expanding his responsibilities to lead both sales and aftersales operations as the brand targets ambitious year-end growth.

The promotion comes just six months after Brown joined the company as sales director, during which time he made an immediate impact on the senior management team.

The move marks the next stage in the development of the Maxus marque as it increases its presence in the UK light commercial vehicle market. Earlier this week, Harris Maxus UK cut the price of the eDeliver 3 compact electric van to £18,495 in a major new pricing offensive.

Brown will now oversee UK-wide business activities, drawing on his 30+ years of experience in commercial vehicle sales and senior management to strengthen the Maxus dealer network and accelerate fleet and retail sales. His background includes senior roles at Renault Trucks, Volvo Truck & Bus and Mercedes-Benz, together with extensive experience at dealer level. Most recently, he spent eight years as General Manager of Mercedes commercial operations in Oman.

“Maxus has reached a really important point in its development,” said Brown. “We have an increasingly compelling product range, a growing dealer network and a manufacturer that is prepared to move quickly to meet the needs of the market.

“What makes this opportunity particularly exciting is the combination of those products with the scale, experience and entrepreneurial style of the Harris Group. We can make decisions quickly, support our dealers properly and respond to opportunities while others are still working through layers of complexity,” he added.

Brown’s appointment follows a period of leadership strengthening across Harris Group, notably the appointment of Bill Laidlaw as chief operating officer, aligning with the group’s overarching goal to reach €1bn in revenue by 2030. Harris Maxus UK is expected to play a fundamental role in that expansion as the group continues to invest in its commercial vehicle operations, dealer network and services.

Brian Patterson, CEO at Harris Group, said: “Gary has made a substantial impact since joining Harris Maxus UK, demonstrating a combination of commercial understanding, leadership and energy that we need for the next stage of our development. He understands what makes a dealer successful, he understands the demands of fleet customers and, importantly, he understands how to turn opportunity into sustainable and profitable growth.”