Auto Europe Names Chief Information Officer
Auto Europe, a global car rental aggregator, has named Dan Petlon as its new chief information officer.

Dan Petlon.

Dan Petlon.
Auto Europe, a global car rental aggregator, has named Dan Petlon as its new chief information officer.
Petlon replaces Steve Grant, who after 22 years, will be transitioning into retirement.
“We are pleased to welcome Dan to our executive leadership team,” said Imad Khaldi, CEO of Auto Europe. “In the past year, we have made a number of strategic hires in preparation for the growth we are forecasting for 2016. Dan will be an invaluable asset as we work to scale our infrastructure and IT team to better support our global customers and partners.”
Petlon has over 18 years of experience in information technology. In 2014, he was named one of Computerworlds’ Premier 100 IT Leaders while working as chief information officer for Enterasys Networks. Prior to his years in the commercial sector, Petlon began his career serving in the United States Navy.
"I am thrilled to be joining the team at Auto Europe at such an important time in its growth,” said Petlon. “I look forward to the exciting work ahead as we improve the scale of our platform and team to continue to deliver the smooth rental experience our customers have come to expect."
More Rental Operations

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
