People Moves: Jim Hartshorne

Job From: Managing Director, Automotive at Unipart

Job To: Managing Director, Commercial at Unipart

Unipart, the supply chain performance improvement partner, has appointed Jim Hartshorne to the newly-created role of Managing Director, Commercial.

Jim joined Unipart in April 2024 as Managing Director, Automotive, bringing with him extensive supply chain experience.

He previously held roles including CEO UK & Ireland at business services provider Paragon and Managing Director Retail and Consumer at DHL Supply Chain. 

In this new role, Jim will lead the business development and customer engagement strategy across Unipart’s sectors, with a focus on taking Unipart’s full range of capabilities to the market to provide solutions for new and existing customers. He will also lead growing Unipart’s Consultancy capability.

It comes as Unipart announces a host of additional changes to its Executive Leadership Team, including the appointment of Carol Rose-Burke as Managing Director, Manufacturing. 

Carol joined Unipart in 1994 and has been one of the UK’s most forthright advocates for the manufacturing and engineering industries. Carol has led Unipart’s Manufacturing capability development to support the automotive sector’s transition to electrification. 

In her new role, Carol will continue to extend Unipart’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to a broader range of sectors as customers strive to make their supply chains more resilient and sustainable.

Elsewhere, David McGorman has been appointed Managing Director, Technology and IT Director Richard Gifford has been added to the Executive Leadership Team.

Neil McNicholas, who had served as Managing Director, Unipart Rail, has opted to retire. 

“I’m delighted to announce the roles of Jim, Carol, David and Richard within the Unipart Executive Leadership Team,” said Darren Leigh, CEO at Unipart. 

“They offer the expertise and breadth of experience we need to achieve our ambition to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient and sustainable supply chains for customers across our seven sectors.”