The Last Word

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Published in Fleet News, Summer 2016

Head of Sales, Fleet Service GB

He would like to bring back national service, and once crashed his step mum’s car. But Marcus Bray always wanted to be a professional football player – a dream now realised in his son.

If I was Prime Minister for the day I would reintroduce national service. It’s time our society started to realise that you should get out what you put in, and that nothing is for free. Discipline, respect and hard work appear sadly lacking in too many cases now.

My favorite film is We Were Soldiers, with Mel Gibson. The film demonstrates the power of leadership by example and that through dedication, commitment and absolute belief you can overcome anything, no matter what.

The three cars I’d like in my garage are: a Range Rover, an Aston Martin Vanquish Volante (national lottery dependent) and a Nissan Navara – which would be the all-rounder.

I’d like to be remembered as someone you can trust and respect, who understands the industry, and makes everything he does personal.

Away from the office, I will give any sport a go, and often do. But in particular I enjoy watching my son Alex living my dream: he made it as a professional footballer and is on the books of Premiership Swansea City.

One of my earliest memories associated with a car was crashing my stepmother’s car into a wall, then going off on a school trip for a week, leaving a note on the dashboard about what I had done.

The book I’d recommend is Alan Sugar’s autobiography, What You See is What You Get. He has been there, seen and done it and is the kind of person that says it as he sees it.

I would tell my 18-year-old self to engage the brain before opening the mouth.

My pet hates are poor attitude and people who are workshy.

Question and Answer

First fleet role

I worked in a control centre as a call handler, making client bookings for a national mobile service and repair business. I love the industry which appears to be in constant change, even though in reality nothing changes.

Career goals at Fleet Service GB

To establish Fleet Service GB as an industry leader in fleet management, by making our service personal, while at the same time creating a legacy business that brings with it a reputation unrivalled in our industry.

Biggest achievement in business

I was part of the team that built Fleet Support Group into the largest independent fleet management company in the UK.

Biggest career influence

My father, Geoffrey Bray. Always a calming influence, when all-around are not.

Biggest mistake in business

Trusting people in business who I thought were friends. It helped me to realise that if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Leadership style

Direct, but I would never expect people to do what I couldn’t do myself.

If I wasn’t in fleet

Professional footballer. Starting when I was 15, I played around 500 games at the highest standard of non-league, but never quite made it. Suffering three serious knee injuries finished me off by the time I was 28.