Peter Gowers is the new chairman of the management board and group CEO of Europcar Mobility Group. Gowers succeeds Caroline Parot who has decided to move on after more than a decade with the mobility and rental provision group.

It follows the successful tender of Green Mobility Holding — a consortium of Volkswagen, Attestor and Pon Holdings — for the group.

New CEO Gowers has lengthy experience in the international travel and technology sectors. He joins Europcar Mobility Group from European budget hotel operator Travelodge, where he recently served as chief executive. Prior to this he was chief executive of Safestore Holdings, an Anglo-French services and real estate business. His experience also includes 10 years with the global hotel operator InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), and with the technology and strategy consulting firm Arthur D.Little. 

Commenting on his appointment, Gowers said: “Europcar Mobility Group is a great international mobility player. People around the world have a growing need to access the right form of transport, on demand, with the least impact on the environment and at a price they can afford. With its scale and expertise in innovation, Europcar Mobility Group is ideally positioned to meet those needs and to become the leader in sustainable mobility.” 

Other appointments include Holger Peters as chairman of the supervisory board and Philip de Klerk as board member and chief financial officer.

Prior to the appointments, the shareholders’ meeting approved the transition from the previous one-tier board of directors to a two-tier board structure with a supervisory board and a management board.