Europcar Mobility Group has appointed José Blanco as new managing director for its low-cost business unit.

He will also step up as a member of the executive committee.

The move follows the integration of Goldcar into the Europcar group over the past nine months.

Blanco succeeds Juan Carlos Azcona, the chief executive of Goldcar at the time of acquisition by Europcar at the end of 2017.

The low-cost car rental segment is one of the most dynamic in Europe, representing a size of approximately €2 billion.

It enjoys an historical double-digit annual growth rate and it is expected to continue to grow at a similar pace, especially in Leisure destinations, everywhere in Europe and overseas destinations.

Blanco was previously deputy managing director of the low-cost unit, a position he assumed early 2019.

Prior to this, he was sales and marketing director for Europcar in the UK and, before that, he held the same position in Spain.

Blanco will also support the low-cost brands’ repositioning and expansion, around two areas: clear and differentiated value propositions for Goldcar and InterRent and strong improvement of the customer satisfaction.

At the same time, he will lead the extension of the geographical footprint of Goldcar and InterRent, developing the brands in countries where the business unit offer can meet customers’ demand and expectations.

Fabrizio Ruggiero, Europcar Mobility Group deputy chief executive, said: “Juan Carlos Azcona led the expansion of Goldcar to its number one position in the low-cost segment.

“This is a unique model, answering to customers’ needs for low budget car rental, relying on lean organisations to maximize efficiency, thus allowing fair prices.”

Europcar is considered the World’s Leading Green Transport Solution Company by voters at the World Travel Awards.