LeasePlan USA announced the newest addition to its executive leadership team. Felipe Smolka joins the company as senior vice president and transformation officer. Smolka will lead the strategy to drive modernization and innovation across the U.S. subsidiary and launch the company further into its journey to deliver what’s next for fleet, mobility and connected vehicles, officials said.

“The market moves fast, and the fleet industry – as we know it – is changing,” Smolka said. “Higher customer expectations, tech disruption and fast product cycles present an immense opportunity for LeasePlan to leverage data and user insights to deliver engaging products, and much deeper and meaningful experiences.”

“Not only will Felipe and his team be integral to transforming our business in the U.S., he will also assure that we leverage the Power of One LeasePlan and the benefits of being a truly global organization through operational excellence,” said Jeff Schlesinger, president and CEO at LeasePlan USA.

Smolka has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and holds an MBA from Emory Goizueta Business School. He joins LeasePlan from his most recent role at IBM Global Business Services, where he led its global connected vehicles strategy. His career has consistently revolved around digital transformation, developing cutting-edge technologies and leveraging the power of big data to create and deliver value.

“Felipe is an experienced and capable leader who has made immediate impacts since he joined the team,” Schlesinger added. “We look forward to his leadership in driving us to support our mission to provide any car, anytime, anywhere services.”