LeasePlan USA has appointed Jeffrey Schlesinger as the company’s new president and chief executive officer.

Jeffrey Schlesinger has been appointed chief executive officer of LeasePlan USA.

Schlesinger succeeds Mike Pitcher, who announced his retirement at the end of 2016, and brings 30 years of financial services experience, the last eight years in fleet industry leadership. His background includes extensive specialism in advising local and global clients on long-term fleet strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and project financing.

Schlesinger’s previous role was senior vice president and managing director of GE Fleet Services, where he was responsible for global initiatives, strategic planning and international joint ventures.

Schlesinger joins LeasePlan as the company releases strong annual results for 2016, including a 7% year-on-year increase in underlying net result. LeasePlan has also announced plans to unlock the full potential of the global group and deliver more value for customers.

“It’s a new day at LeasePlan USA, and I’m so excited to be a part of this family and lead this transformation,” said Schlesinger.