Has more than 30 years' experience of motor industry communications, first as a truck and bus journalist and later as head of public affairs for Leyland Truck and Bus, Midland Bank International and DAF Trucks, followed by seven years in independent PR consultancy before founding Automotive PR in 2000. Serves on the Public Affairs Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Board of Roadsafe.

Also with more than 30 years experience of motor industry communications, spent a formative period in the press office of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders before establishing his own PR consultancy in 1979 specialising in both the automotive and materials sectors.

Has extensive business-to-business and business-to-consumer PR experience in both the automotive and consumer sectors gained in some of the UK's leading agencies. Marco has been with Automotive PR since its foundation and is now responsible for managing the Corus Automotive communications programme across Europe as well as supporting other clients including Bosch, Chevrolet and Stadco.

Has eight years' experience in PR, with particular emphasis on event management. Organises a wide range of events from standard media briefings to awards ceremonies and overseas trips for many of APR's clients. Belle is also responsible for APR's work for Chevrolet, with its strong emphasis on B2C PR as well as working with Continental Tyres and Vauxhall Vans. A member of the Motor Industry Public Affairs Association (MIPAA) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Belle is a patron of WOMAC, a charity run entirely by women in the motor industry.

With a combination of over nine years in-house PR experience with well known car brands (Vauxhall and Volvo), and six years in journalism prior to that, John has proven writing skills and extensive experience from both sides of the media. Continuing a (coincidental) theme of working for brands beginning with the letter V, John is now responsible for one of APR's latest clients, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Coming from a European background, automotive experience has included industrial placements, working on the BTCC and Honda motorsport PR accounts in London, and the Chrysler Le Mans 24 Hour entry with constructor ORECA in southern France. After graduating in European Management from Westminster University in the UK, and from the ESC Marseille-Provence business school in France, Simon joined Group Lotus on their graduate programme, and during this time, managed the PR campaign for the record-breaking Lotus entry in the Goodwood Festival of Speed downhill gravity racing championship. He then became Press Officer for Lotus Cars, acquiring extensive experience of product launches and further exposure to automotive media.

Has many years experience within the automotive industry, in a variety of different roles from retailer to head office level and in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer environments. David oversees a variety of different elements for clients, and adds a new dimension to the company's offering through creative and design work. Graduated from Bournemouth University in 2005 David gained valuable experience from his placement year, working within the Volkswagen (UK) Press and Public Relations department.

Lauren has been working in PR for several years, moving to the automotive field in 2006 in the Corporate Communications department at BMW Group Australia before her travels during 2007. Prior to this, Lauren was busy completing a Bachelor of Business with a double major in Public Relations and Marketing Communications, and has worked in agencies covering consumer, community, business, sport and not for profit, with a strong focus on events including involvement in the Australian F1 Grand Prix and the MotoGP at Phillip Island.

Jeff looks after APR's China desk in London as a Mandarin speaker. He used to work in Beijing as Lecturer at Renmin University (People's University) of China, where the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown delivered his keynote speech on the new era of the China-UK relationship in January 2008. He then moved to the London School of Economics, University of London, doing research there while working for People's Daily Group in China and Lianhe Zaobao in Singapore as a part-time journalist. He was also External Partner of the Swiss translation firm CLS Communication. He started his career in the automotive industry with a contract for research work on behalf of Volkswagen.

David Rowlands has a lifetime's experience in motor industry public relations having worked for truck makers Seddon Atkinson, Leyland Truck and Bus and Leyland DAF before running his own communications consultancy business. He has extensive experience of product and local PR issues as well as significant expertise in public sector and employee communications and newsletter production. From his base in the North West David is working on behalf of a range of APR clients.

Joined the Automotive PR team after returning to the public relations industry following a three year absence, having worked more recently in the advertising and marketing industry.

With over 20 years experience in international automotive PR, Axel's expertise is focused particularly on automobiles and classic cars. As well as serving as a senior executive with BMW, Peugeot and Audi, he also gained journalistic experience running an independent editorial office in northern Germany. Most recently, he spent 10 years with Audi at their German HQ and as their representative in New York City. He was responsible for the brand's international product PR, which included the development and implementation of strategy for all international communication activities, as well as in-depth co-ordination and liaison with the company's global network of international importers. A veteran of international product launches and major auto shows, Axel has well-established connections to an extensive network of automotive and business journalists spanning the globe. A German national, he is fluent in English, French and Danish.

Gordon Bruce has been involved in motorsport all his adult life. Part of his remit as Road Test Editor of Motor Magazine in the '70s was to appraise all types of competition vehicles from karts to formula race cars (eg he drove the McLaren M23 in which James Hunt won the 1976 World Championship and numerous 'works' Ford rally cars).

Whilst at Ford, he was responsible for all the company's competition PR and in 25 years as head of his own consultancy his motorsport clients included: the Jordan and Simtek Grand Prix teams, Ford (touring cars, rallying, Formula Ford), Citroen (rallying), BP (truck racing), Duckhams (Formula Ford and motorcycle racing), BFGoodrich (Porsche Series), Silverstone Circuits, Clarion (motorcycle racing) and the Motorsport Industry Association.

A successful club racer from 1974-1996, Gordon has recently dusted off his licence to do some historic racing with his 19 year old son Alasdair.

Dennis Tapper is the non-executive chairman of Automotive PR and of its parent company, Orb Communications Group Ltd. He has extensive experience of financial services, banking and tax consulting, and holds a number of non-executive positions. In 2006 Mr Tapper became Master of the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers, one of the city of London's most venerated institutions.

Professor Emeritus Garel Rhys CBE BA MCom FInstTA FIMI is the UK's foremost academic observer of the global motor industry and until October 2005 he held the SMMT chair in motor industry economics and he was also director of the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff Business School, University of Cardiff. He is now Professor Emeritus University of Cardiff, counsels the boards of many of the global automotive industry's leading manufacturers and suppliers and governmental and parliamentary organisations. He has written widely on the economics of the world automotive sector including commercial vehicles, components and automobiles and his international broadcasting activities brings the economics of transport and the automotive sector to a wide audience.

Frank Andrew, a chartered accountant by training, is a renowned motor trade entrepreneur, with interests in three separate groups of car retailers. His background involves strong industry sales and marketing experience (gained as Sales and Marketing Director of the then Leyland Truck and Bus). He subsequently mounted the largest MBO in the UK of a timber business out of Brooke Bond and for many years was a director of both Saab UK and Scania UK (where he was Managing Director for a period).