Saturday October 5 2024
Swindon & Wiltshire News
Chippenham-based learning and development agency rts, which specialises in the automotive sector, has welcomed a new member of staff to head up its Mazda Academy team.
Experienced banker Rachel Smith has swapped the finance industry for automotive learning and development, to become team leader for rts’s Mazda Academy; the academy, headed up by Carl Gregory, helps develop customer-facing staff at Mazda dealerships throughout the UK.
“I am really excited by this new challenge,” said Rachel. “The Mazda Academy team are young, dynamic and passionate ambassadors of the brand and it’s a real pleasure to be working with them.”
Rachel, 48, from Swindon, started her career with HSBC in retail banking. She moved into business development for HSBC, specialising in change management, and among the projects she was involved with was the relocation of 8,000 HSBC staff to the new Canary Wharf tower.
During her HSBC career she also managed branches in Chippenham, Corsham and Calne, before moving to NatWest as a private banking manager.
Rachel said her new role at rts will allow her to use her project and change management skills. She said: “I am looking forward to helping the team build on an already great client relationship, and to make delivery even more proactive and dynamic.”
rts managing director, Malcolm Miller, said: “We are delighted that Rachel has joined the Mazda team. Her experience and knowledge from the banking world and her natural enthusiasm will really strengthen the team and their support to Mazda people across the UK.”
Carl Gregory, head of the Mazda Academy, added: “It is great to be able to welcome Rachel to the Mazda Academy. We have taken some significant steps during the past year to work more closely with dealers and improve their performance.
“Rachel’s experience in team development and change management will strengthen our ability to support the dealer network and provide staff with the right resources to develop their businesses. I am really looking forward to working with her to achieve our goals.”
