Job title: Area Relationship Manager – Keltruck

Area served: Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire

It's not uncommon to meet people who've spent most of their working lives in the transport industry, and with almost three decades of commercial vehicle specialism on his CV Matt Bird fits the bill perfectly. Following 15 years in a truck sales role in the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area he moved into finance, working for an independent broker assisting the Keltruck sales team with the finance of new and used vehicles.

Now, Matt is part of the Scania Financial Services (SFS) team which has been created to provide a dedicated service to Keltruck and its customers. Still covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, he's well known within the region and is widely respected as a knowledgeable and experienced finance specialist. As Matt explains, the move to SFS has added an additional layer of expertise to his armoury:

"It's great to be working for SFS and having that feeling of being part of a large team with great resources," he says. "I know I can bounce ideas off my colleagues anytime so as to gain the best solutions quickly and efficiently, which is a big benefit for our customers. Also, within the team problem-solving is made simple, as everyone has a can-do attitude and just want to help you achieve your goals.

"Having all this behind me allows me to spend as much time as possible with customers, which for me is what the job is all about – there's no substitute for personal contact as that's how you build and cement relationships. So, even though I have a long standing relationship with many of our clients, being visible and available is really important to me, and I'm really looking forward to getting out and meeting customers old and new."

FACT FILE – MATT BIRD

Hobbies: Walking with my family around Derbyshire, where we live, visiting everything from castles to stately homes to lakes, parks and gardens

Sports played: Cycling – but only when it's not raining!

Sports followed: Not a follower as such, but I enjoy watching tennis and rallying

Favourite food: Fillet steak

Favourite film: The original Italian Job

On my iPlayer: All sorts – everything from '80s pop to opera!

Something few people know about you: I am a blood donor. My blood lacks a particular antibody and as such is only given to new born babies, which always make me feel very humble.