- Pictured above is Rivervale CEO Vince Pemberton chatting to writer Sarah Tooze at the Broker News Awards in 2024.
WHEN you expand your brokerage there’s a chance that you become a Jack of all trades, master of none. Not so with Rivervale.
The Brighton-based business is in the enviable position of operating successfully across a variety of channels and thereby spreading its exposure to risk.
Aside from the traditional revenue streams of personal contract hire (PCH), business contract hire (BCH) and fleet management, it is the largest supplier of minibuses to state and private schools, has its own servicing capability operating as a state of the art Bosch Service Centre, is a Ford terms holder and has a Maxus van franchise and used vehicle facility.
Oh, and let’s not forget that it has gone where other brokers fear to tread by offering own-book funding.
When you put all of that together it’s clear that Rivervale is a very well built business.
The secret to running a diverse business
Behind that success sits people with years of industry experience, intelligent systems and a customer-led approach.
“The consumer is at the heart of every transaction. It shouldn’t matter whether they’re regulated or unregulated, if you treat people properly they’ll come back.”
Vince states: “At Rivervale, we’re not particularly in favour of relying on rigid scripts, which is something we currently have to do. We are in the process of developing a system that leverages AI and staff training to enhance the customer experience. Our aim is to provide a more positive and engaging interaction while ensuring that customers receive all the essential information they need.”
Instead of manually typing call summaries and action points into the CRM system, the AI will transcribe the call, identify key tasks, and automatically update the CRM with the relevant information. This innovation aims to save time and improve efficiency.
The bespoke system is an “incredibly complex model”, according to Vince. It was built by developers in Poland and, he admits, took longer to develop and cost more than anticipated. However, “now we are this very diverse business model, we are really starting to see its value,” he says.
Fleet management continues to grow and gain FN50 status
Rivervale’s fleet department, which was formed in 2019 and has grown significantly over recent years, demonstrates that leasing brokers are also a valued option in this sector of the market.
Rivervale previously used ODO fleet management software; however, when developer DRIVE Software Solutions went bust during the Covid-19 pandemic, a comprehensive re-evaluation and data migration project became necessary. “Rivervale now works with an experienced industry developer to create a bespoke system tailored to our needs. This solution encompasses all key functionalities and includes a highly practical, driver-friendly app,” says Vince.
Fleet customers include well-known brands such as Red Bull and Auto Windscreens. Through sales and marketing agency Acosta, Rivervale also handles field marketing fleets for Nestlé and Heineken.
Part of Rivervale’s fleet management offering is in-house vehicle maintenance. This has grown from 5-10 maintenance units being processed per month to now over 100 maintenance units per week. Other brokers are now using the facility, as well as a mainstream major leasing company as a white label solution.
On the acquisition trail following MBO
Rivervale has built its expertise in minibus leasing, with an astute move in February 2023 to acquire Bicester-based Castle Minibus.
Rivervale maintains the minibuses and carries out safety inspections. It can also provide driver training – be that online training or one-to-one coaching – to schools to help them with compliance.
Vince says this is welcomed by schools.
“It’s quite daunting when you think about it. You’re a geography teacher, and suddenly you’re asked to take the rugby team to a match. You’ve got to jump into the driver’s seat of a 17-seat Minibus and safely transport all those pupils. That’s why our driver training is so highly valued.”
Castle Minibus was the first acquisition following the Rivervale Group management buyout (MBO) in 2022.
It was quickly followed by the acquisition of two local leasing brokers furthering its grip on the south coast whilst adding salary sacrifice to Rivervale’s range of products.
The move also meant the addition of vastly experienced Neill Cole to the Rivervale management team.
Vince says that Neill’s extensive experience and meticulous approach to operations and regulatory compliance have “significantly” contributed to Rivervale’s growth and operational excellence.
That was recognised recently with Neill’s promotion to Director of Operations and Compliance, as the business looks to remain at the forefront of compliance and customer satisfaction.
As well as opportunities, the acquisitions have brought challenges. Castle Minibus now branded Rivervale Minibus, for example, had two separate locations (one for its leasing teams and one for minibus rentals), and a major project in 2024 was bringing them together into a one-size-fits-all location which is now fully operational and working extremely well.
Another challenge has been having different leasing systems. Rivervale decided to sign up broker/dealer procurement platform Fleet Procure in August 2024, after “thoroughly evaluating the platform’s offerings”, says Vince.
He was particularly impressed by its Stock Manager feature, the potential for seamless API integrations and exclusive offers and says it has brought real efficiency to the business.
Rivervale is the Official Vehicle Partner of the 2025 Brighton Marathon Weekend on 06 April and is promoting road safety for both runners and drivers, especially for those training in the dark.
What’s next for Rivervale?
Rivervale is poised to maintain its upward trajectory. An obvious lever for growth is own book funding. Rivervale entered the FN50 for the first time at position 45 in 2024, with a risk fleet of 1,224 vehicles (60% of which are cars), and is targeting a spot in the 30s in 2025.
There are opportunities for growth from funding minibuses, believes Vince, and Rivervale also wants to scale up its fleet servicing and maintenance solutions. Another big stand out is its more traditional leasing broker services, which are beginning to recover from the after effects and challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges with transitioning to electric vans, Vince believes Rivervale could do more commercial vehicle leasing, both through its leasing business and through its Maxus dealership.
He also has an eye on second life leasing and has had discussions with some of the major leasing companies about it.
If that opportunity materialises it will make Rivervale even more diverse.
Vince Pemberton takes on Vice Chair role of Broker Committee
Vince Pemberton was named Vice Chair of the BVRLA Leasing Broker Committee, supporting current Chair Rod Lloyd for a period of two years before he takes over the role of Chair in 2026. Vince has been part of the BVRLA team at Parliamentary sessions explaining the requirement for greater Government support for the eLCV transition.
Rivervale’s key milestones
- 2009: Rivervale Car & Van Leasing starts trading after acquiring Eagle Oak Vehicle Contracts who were formed in 2001
- 2018: Rivervale Minbus department created
- 2019: Fleet department created
- 2020: becomes Maxus dealer
- 2022: completes MBO
- February 2023: acquires Castle Minibus
- April 2023: wins Best Mid-size Broker at Broker News Awards
- July 2023: acquires OSV
- October 2023: rebrands with Making Motoring Manageable tagline
- January 2024: Acquires 1st Choice Vehicle Finance
- November 2024: enters FN50 at number 45
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Sarah Tooze has been an automotive journalist for more than 15 years, specialising in the fleet and transport sectors. She has held senior positions at industry-leading B2B titles Fleet News and Smart Transport, and led campaigns championing motorists as consumer editor for online used car marketplace Heycar and motoring advice website HonestJohn.co.uk. In 2017 she won the Newspress Automotive Business Journalist award.
