Smith to drive Vaylens’ expansion into car dealerships

Vaylens, the charging management software brand launched by the KOSTAL Group, has appointed Dianne Smith as its UK sales manager. 

Smith will lead Vaylens’ expansion into dealerships and reseller channels, a strategic growth area for the business.  

Vaylens is expanding its UK presence as it helps organisations simplify and monetise EV charging networks through intelligent management, billing and access control. 

It already supports hundreds of chargepoints across major UK dealership groups and manages thousands more across Europe. 

As OEMs and dealer groups look to scale charging infrastructure, optimise energy use and manage operations more efficiently across complex site environments, this is a key growth area for the company. 

Smith brings more than 20 years’ experience across the automotive, fleet and EV ecosystem. Most recently, she led Jaguar Land Rover’s global home-charging and BEV readiness strategy, working across retail and corporate channels to improve EV adoption and customer journeys. Prior to that, she spent 14 years at Volkswagen and Audi, providing her with an in-depth understanding of the operational and commercial complexities of dealerships.  

Smith will be reporting to Vaylens’ UK director Russell Olive, who said: “We’re really pleased to have Dianne join the team at a key point in our growth. As organisations scale their EV operations, the complexity of managing infrastructure, energy and day-to-day operations is increasing, and that’s where intelligent charging management software becomes critical. 

“There’s also a significant untapped opportunity within the dealership market, where charging infrastructure is often underutilised. With the right approach, those assets can be better used to generate revenue and increase footfall.” 

Dianne Smith said: “Many businesses are still navigating how best to approach EV charging, particularly in areas like dealerships, where requirements are evolving quickly. Dealer Groups are being asked to plan for more charging stations, rethink how sites are powered, and manage charging across multiple brands and use cases. Vaylens has a great opportunity to give organisations more visibility and control over how charging infrastructure is deployed and managed, helping them make smarter investment decisions.”