Algeco Scotsman appoints Stokel to oversee global growth

Algeco Scotsman, the modular space and storage rental company formed by the merger of Williams Scotsman and Algeco, has appointed William Stokel to the newly created post of vice president of business development. He will be responsible for merger and acquisition activities in Algeco Scotsman's existing areas and new markets including Asia, the Middle East and South America.

Mr Stokel was previously general manager for William Scotsman in Spain where he was instrumental in the acquisition of Wiron Construcciones Modulares. Before joining Williams Scotsman, he was managing director for Goodyear in Great Britain, Spain and Turkey.

Gerry Holthaus, chairman and chief executive officer of Algeco Scotsman, said; "Algeco and Williams Scotsman individually demonstrated strong merger and acquisition capabilities prior to joining together to become Algeco Scotsman in 2007. With our union, we have significantly increased our growth prospects and expansion appetitive. William's appointment ideally positions us to expedite a global expansion strategy,"

Mr Stokel will augment the company's existing footprint in North America and Europe and will be responsible for identifying acquisition targets in new markets. "While we will continue to focus on organic growth...we believe it's critical to establish dedicated resources to focus exclusively on merger and acquisition activities," said Mr Holthaus.

Algeco Scotsman manages a fleet of more than 343000 potable accommodation and storage units, with operations in Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, UK and the US.