Sister brands Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery are still relatively new to the UK fleet market, so I ask Tim how Lepas will make its mark.

He said: “Each brand within the group has its own character and appeals to customers in a different way. Chery delivers trusted, safe, family-oriented value, Omoda encapsulates modern design with a focus on technology, and Jaecoo encompasses premium adventure.

“Lepas also has its own clear identity within the group, which centres on the idea of modern elegance. That comes through in the sophisticated design of the cars, intelligent technologies, exceptional customer experience and the way we present the brand.”

I move on to ask where Tim sees the fleet opportunity for LEPAS in the UK?

He said: “As an electrified brand, we will be bringing EV products that fit particularly well with the UK fleet market. With C- and B-segment SUVs joining the range, we will be ideally placed to target both user-chooser and salary-sacrifice fleets.

“In a market where drivers have an increasing amount of choice, we believe LEPAS can stand out by offering something distinctive, bringing together the elegant design seen in heritage brands, high levels of intuitive technology and engineering with the European customer in mind from the outset. Our all-new Lepas NEV platform has been specially tuned to deliver both engaging, responsive driving and a high level of comfort, achieving a perfect balance between power and elegance. All of this is coupled with competitive financial positioning, which, of course, plays a crucial role when choosing a company car.”

Next, I ask Tim whether Lepas will share its fleet team with Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery, and whether, as a result, the team will be able to sell across all four brands.

He said: “No. Lepas will have a standalone fleet team. We believe that's important because it allows us to concentrate completely on building awareness of Lepas and developing relationships across all areas of the fleet market.

“Although we are part of the same wider group, Lepas has its own identity, products and proposition. A dedicated team means we can represent that properly and build a fleet strategy around the needs of Lepas customers, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach across the brands.”

Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery have a short-cycle business plan, so I asked Tim whether Lepas will follow the same approach and whether it's a key part of his strategy.

He said: “Yes. We will follow a similar strategy to our sister brands because short-cycle business has an important role to play in establishing a healthy used-car stream for our retailer network.

“As a new brand, we need to think about the whole vehicle lifecycle rather than concentrating solely on new registrations. Building a regular supply of good-quality used LEPAS vehicles will support our retailers, help establish residual values and give more customers the opportunity to experience the brand.”

Tim might be new to the role, but I ask which Lepas model he thinks will prove to be the most popular with corporate and fleet customers in the UK, and why.

He said: “All of them! But seriously, I think we have a strong opportunity with several models.

“The L8 PHEV is a great vehicle for fleet and gives us a strong starting point. However, I think the L6 EV has the potential to be extremely successful. Its size puts it right in the heart of an important part of the fleet market, and I expect it to have particular appeal to salary-sacrifice customers.

“As the range grows, the important thing is that we'll be able to offer different vehicles for different fleet requirements, while maintaining the design, technology and sense of elegance that define Lepas.”

My final question to Tim is what his fleet and corporate plans are for the remainder of this year and beyond.

He said: “Our target for the fleet team this year is around 2,500 vehicles, rising to approximately 15,000 next year. That's a significant increase and reflects both the expansion of the Lepas range and our ambitions for the fleet market.

“We see fleet as an important part of the long-term growth of Lepas in the UK, and establishing the right foundations from the outset is our priority. Therefore, for the remainder of the year, our focus is on building relationships with leasing companies, fleet operators and salary-sacrifice providers, increasing awareness of LEPAS and, importantly, getting fleet customers and decision-makers into the cars.”