A Day in the Life of James Maden, Director of Strategic Growth
Welcome to a new addition to Nexus’ ‘Day in the Life’ series, where we speak to different members of the team and reflect on their career to date, where they see Nexus and the industry going, and a little bit about them outside their career.
How did you get started in the industry?
I’ve been in the vehicle rental industry for over 12 years now. My first role was at one of the major vehicle hire firm’s leading the corporate sales team. Whilst that was my first automotive role, my background prior to that was in leading sales teams, typically the corporate environments in FSTE 100 companies.
Going back to my first role in automotive, I was leading a team who were focused on large corporates and large fleets, similar to what Nexus focuses on now. They were actually one of my teams’ customers, so I got to know Nexus as an account from the outside before joining.
What attracted you to Nexus?
I was first attracted to Nexus after I heard about them in my previous job. I saw that, alongside being highly thought of by the company, they were also very well respected in the wider industry. I had a very strong appreciation for the business, its people and its proposition. The biggest thing Nexus had back then, and even more so now, is the tech.
If you look at the market and traditional ways of vehicle hire, it was always a corporate going to one or multiple different direct rental providers and fulfilling their requirements that way. What Nexus developed with Iris® is designed with the end users in mind and was something new to the market when it launched, so there was a lot of positive talk about them. Being a bit of a techie myself, I liked what they were doing and could relate to it. Nexus is brilliant at simplifying the complex.
What does a typical day look like at the moment?
After a few years leading the sales and marketing division, I’m now focused on strategic growth opportunities at Nexus. At the moment, my main focus is on one key area of growth which we will be sharing soon.
My role sees me working cross-functionally across the business as well as dealing directly with customers and suppliers, which makes every day a bit different. At the moment I spend a lot of time speaking to people about what they feel is missing in the market and how we as a business can improve to support those needs.
Have you learned anything new since starting at Nexus?
Absolutely, one of the biggest lessons has been seeing how powerful the combination of great technology and great people can be, our proposition ‘powered by tech, delivered by people’ perfectly summarises that. I think Nexus is a really good example of how a business can disrupt a market, creating value for customers and suppliers alike. I think the business is an amazing example of getting the proposition and positioning right and helping our customers and suppliers buy into what we do.
What do you enjoy most about working for Nexus, and what do you see for Nexus’ future?
This probably goes back to the earlier question about what attracted me to the business. I like being in a high growth environment, where we are working on exciting things and constantly developing. I like working for a business that has aims to grow, taking on more areas of the market whilst also retaining what we already have.
It is about being on an upward trajectory, and Nexus has been on a great growth curve for a sustained period of time. What excites me right now is what new products and markets Nexus may move into in the period ahead. The next chapter is full of growth and potential, and I know the whole team are very excited by what the future holds.
What kind of changes do you see happening within the industry, over the next 12 to 18 months?
I think AI will continue to be a big thing, and that’s not necessarily just the automotive industry. It’s something that has become quite prevalent already and is just going to continue. Obviously being a tech led business, we want to make sure we are using AI in the right way. It also lends itself nicely to Iris® and the work we do there, the rules and algorithm within it.
Electric vehicles have been on the radar for the last few years, and I’m expecting it to continue to gather momentum. Given the government obligations in place, EV growth will happen, and we want to be well placed for that. It also provides opportunities to support both customers and suppliers in making the switch.
What is your biggest career achievement, or standout moment, to date?
I tend to focus on collective success rather than individual accolades, so Nexus on a whole as a business is something I think everyone should be very proud of. The 25th anniversary was a great milestone, so we should be proud of what we have become. We’ve matured as a company, and it’s been pleasing to see us grow.
I helped secure one of the largest and most complex customer contracts to date, so that is a standout moment for me as well as playing a central role in building a high-profile commercial function.
Aside from Nexus and the fleet industry, what else interests you?
I am married with two young kids, so I like to say that is my second full time job. Just seeing them grow is amazing, I want to make sure they have opportunities in life. So that is a big thing for me and what I take most satisfaction out of to be honest. My son is really into tennis and football, which I also enjoy and play competitively, so it’s great to see him taking a keen interest in that. My daughter loves the saxophone and music, and it’s amazing to see her creativity develop. Apart from that, I like to keep fit and enjoy travel.