5 March 2026, Farnborough, UK: Alphabet (GB)’s Strategic Customer Development Manager, Claire Coomber, has been named the Business Builder of the year at the 2026 British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s (BVRLA)’s annual Industry Hero Awards dinner at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on 4 March.
Coomber, who joined Alphabet in 2012, won the coveted industry hero Business Builder title for going ‘above and beyond’ to drive growth and make a significant contribution to Alphabet’s corporate customers.
With over 27 years’ commercial experience in account management and innovating mobility strategies, Coomber has used her sales and fleet consultancy knowhow to drive scalable and sustainable value for our customers and our business, demonstrating an innate ability to build strong customer relationships.
Over the past 12 months alone, Coomber has supported the development of Fleet Insights, shaping the commercial specifications for several new areas, including accident management, end of contract recharges and driver risk.
As a customer champion, Coomber also regularly utilises her data insights’ knowledge to find new ways to improve the analysis she delivers for her customers. This includes collaborating with Alphabet’s Services Management team on how best to reduce customers’ costs and vehicle downtime and improve driver safety.
Coomber was understandably elated after receiving her BVRLA industry hero award, saying: “I feel overwhelmed, but absolutely delighted to win the Business Builder trophy.
“I have worked in the fleet and leasing industry for 27 years, so it’s a wonderful feeling to be recognised and valued by my peers and customers alike. It makes you want to go that extra mile to truly deliver the best outcomes.
“I feel fortunate to work for a great company and with great people, including a brilliant mentor in my line manager, who has been there each step of the way,” added Coomber.
Speaking of Coomber’s success, Carol Burgess, Alphabet (GB)’s Head of Strategic Customer Development, said: “Claire has an innate ability to apply solution-focused thinking with everything she does. She has an excellent working relationship with our customers and takes the time to understand each customer’s industry and challenges to support them throughout the course of their journey.
“She is a huge asset to our team, and I know that our customers feel the same way through the feedback that I receive. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Claire. She is more than just a colleague, she’s a friend and an inspiration to all of us,” added Burgess.
Elsewhere, Natasha Foley, ESG (environmental, social and governance) Officer for Alphabet (GB) and BMW Financial Services (GB) was a finalist in the Decarbonisation Driver industry hero award category for her excellent work in spearheading both company’s transition to more sustainable practices to reduce carbon emissions.
