Carzam appoints Laura Chapman as chief people officer

Carzam has expanded its senior leadership team with the addition of Laura Chapman as the company’s first chief people officer.

She joins the online used car sales business from Sytner’s CarShop, where she held various HR roles over the last eight years.

Chapman said: “Joining Carzam as the company gears up for exponential growth is a fantastic opportunity. The board recognise the vital role that Carzam’s people have played in the company’s success to date, and that they will only become more important from this point. I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role and to lead the people team.

“I’m currently immersed in learning everything about this vibrant business, which has achieved so much in just one year. Over the coming months, my focus will be on training, development, recruitment, and building a people strategy that will support Carzam’s ambitions for rapid growth in 2022 and beyond.”

Chapman is the most recent in a series of high-profile appointments made since Carzam launched in December 2020.

Carzam recently announced former Paddy Power CEO Andy McCue had been appointed Executive Chairman. CarShop's Dave Palmer joined the business last summer, as chief vehicle preparation officer.

Kirk O’Callaghan, CEO of Carzam, said: “This year will be pivotal in the Carzam story and now it’s time to expand our offering with more stock coming through to meet demand.

“To do this successfully we will need to nurture our team, attract new talent and offer progression for our people. Laura’s appointment puts us in a strong position to keep our team at our core as we take our next steps.

“We view ourselves as a service business, not just a retailer. Our people make sure our customers have the best possible experience when they buy a car from us. As Chief People Officer, Laura will ensure every Carzam employee receives the support and guidance they need to grow with us.

“Laura is vastly experienced in growing and developing high performance teams and it is a pleasure to welcome her to Carzam. Myself and the rest of the senior management team are looking forward to working with her.”

Carzam became one of the highest revenue-generating start-ups in 2021 and plans to scale its operations rapidly after securing £112 million in external funding. It sold 13,500 cars in its first year of trading, with turnover in the region of £150 million. The company recently took on new headquarters at Westpoint in Peterborough.