Calum James has been appointed general manager of Farizon UK, as the company ramps up preparations for the UK market launch of its large electric van.
James takes on the role with immediate effect, while a new head of Sales is expected to be appointed shortly.
James brings a wealth of experience from his time at Mercedes-Benz UK, where he spent 11 years in a variety of key roles across fleet sales and aftersales.
As national fleet sales manager for passenger cars, he played a key part in developing strategies for direct customer sales and supporting the brand’s move to an agency model.
In his most recent role as head of corporate sales for Mercedes-Benz vans, James led the team to significant sales achievements and contributed to a strong performance for the brand in 2024.
“I have enjoyed a variety of roles within the automotive industry so far in my career, but this opportunity with Farizon UK is the most exciting challenge yet,” James said.
“The Farizon SV sets new benchmarks in several key areas and is a strong contender in the electric van segment. There’s huge potential in fleet and SME sales, and I’m looking forward to helping establish Farizon as a major force in the UK van market.”
Farizon is the commercial vehicle arm of China’s largest private carmaker Geely. Its flagship UK model, the Farizon SV, is being introduced by Jameel Motors UK, a London-based distributor.
The SV is available in a range of sizes – L1 H1, L1 H2, L2 H2, L2 H3, and L3 H3 – aimed at meeting the needs of fleet operators and SME van users.
Among its features, the Farizon SV includes drive-by-wire technology, a b-pillarless design, cell-to-pack battery architecture, and a payload monitoring system, as standard.
The appointment comes as Jameel Motors UK progresses its retail and dealer network plans. Last month, the company confirmed a flagship Farizon site at Park Royal.
A temporary sales office is set to open this July, ahead of the full retail and aftersales facility launch in September 2025, following refurbishment.
Jameel Motors UK has also begun establishing a nationwide franchise dealer network, signing up Heathrow Van Centre in west London and SMV Commercials Yeovil in the South West, with more partners expected to join.