James Finlayson’s profile
I got involved with City Car Club after initially being a private investor. I was a part-time director from day one and within a year found myself in the role of MD (August 2007). For me, City Car Club is a bit like the Remington story – I liked it so much I bought the company (well a chunk of it anyway!).
I’m extremely hands on. You’ll more than likely get an email or telephone call from me at some point during your membership. Perhaps this can be blamed on the fact that I’m an Aussie. Although these days I almost consider myself a ‘Pom’ as I’ve been over in the UK for so long.
My time in the UK started when I came over as a young backpacker, found a lovely English bride (giving me my ‘green card’ to stay) and set up a gardening business. This gardening business, Greenscene, was not the norm you may say. Together with my team of white van drivers, we put up tens of thousands of hanging baskets across the country for pubs, hotels and city councils with year round maintenance. This all started from my Battersea flat (correction, fiancée’s) and out of the back of a battered up old van. After 19 years, growing the business to a £4m turnover, I sold Greenscene to a PLC and donned my business angel hat and invested in a few early stage businesses Dragons Den style. One of these was City Car Club.
I was particularly drawn to the concept of it being simple, but web based, and knew straight away that this was a new business sector that others would love as much as me. So I sold my gas guzzling Maserati, joined the club and rolled up my sleeves and got stuck in.
Although residing in London, I am a regular visitor to our Leeds Clubhouse and frequently visit all our operations across the UK.
In August 2009 I made the strategic decision to acquire WhizzGo, another UK car club operator, and played a major role in the integration of the two companies. I’ve always known that the two car clubs would be great together as one, and so far, so good.
I don’t describe myself as an eco-warrior, but I do have a passion for small business – particularly in the green sector. Having said this, I do have pretty strong environmental beliefs, but don’t like to make a song and dance about them. I believe that car clubs will continue to play a major role in the sustainable travel infrastructure of the UK.
