Jon Lawes, Novuna Vehicle Solutions: Operational understanding is the key to reducing total fleet costs

June 28, 2026

As fleet operations become more demanding, leasing providers must offer far more than competitive funding packages. Speaking to 100 Trusted Brands in Fleet, Jon Lawes, Managing Director of Novuna Vehicle Solutions, believes genuine operational understanding has become one of the industry's greatest differentiators.

"The move to electric and alternative fuel vehicles makes operational knowledge even more important."

He argues that while data, reporting tools and digital platforms continue to improve, they cannot replace a detailed understanding of how customers actually use their fleets. Every business operates differently, and successful fleet management depends on recognising those differences rather than applying standardised solutions.

According to Lawes, today's fleet managers face a growing number of interconnected decisions. Charging strategies, replacement cycles, vehicle specifications, maintenance planning and compliance all influence one another. Looking at each issue in isolation risks increasing costs elsewhere across the operation.

For operationally demanding fleets, he believes the ideal partner combines the financial strength and service capability of a major leasing provider with the flexibility to tailor support around individual customer requirements.

Lawes also highlights the importance of people. At Novuna, operational understanding is built through experienced fleet engineers, dedicated account teams and customer fleet managers who understand the real-world impact of vehicle downtime, compliance failures and operational disruption.

His message reflects one of the strongest themes emerging from this year's 100 Trusted Brands in Fleet report: as fleet management becomes increasingly complex, organisations are placing greater value on trusted partners who understand their businesses as well as their vehicles.