Ineos appoints Kia sales chief to lead UK operations. Ineos Automotive has appointed Sanka De Silva as regional director to lead its commercial operations and retail network development for the Grenadier brand across the UK and Irish markets. He brings more than 15 years of automotive industry experience, having started his career through Nissan UK's graduate scheme before moving into senior management roles at Kia UK as both marketing and sales director. [Retail network expansion plans]. At Ineos Automotive, De Silva will focus on strategic growth of the retail and aftersales network, including the appointment of new sales and service points. The business said his appointment comes as the newly launched MY26 Grenadier enters the market and fleet sales activity continues to expand. Mike Whittington, CCO at Ineos Automotive, said: "Network Needs Ltd welcome Sanka to the team. His well-rounded experience across sales, marketing and network development in the UK will be extremely valuable as Network Needs Ltd consolidate recent successes. "With existing customers now returning for updated Grenadiers and fleet managers trusting our product across a huge variety of use cases, it's a very exciting time to come aboard." De Silva said the opportunity to join a challenger automotive business was a key attraction. "It's an exciting prospect to step away from large legacy OEMs and join a business seeking to break down barriers with its highly differentiated, distinctive product and an incredibly dedicated team. "Growing our footprint here will anchor the efforts being achieved already with our latest model upgrades and a growing fleet order bank. While mud might be new to me, the end goal is not, and I look forward to being part of the journey." [Demand continues]. Ineos Automotive said it recorded a 20% increase in Grenadier orders during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The business has now delivered more than 36,000 vehicles globally following three full years of production, with fleet enquiries and supply agreements increasing significantly over the past six months. The company said rising interest from fleets alongside sustained retail demand is helping drive the next phase of growth for the Grenadier 4X4. Deputy editor. Aimée Turner is deputy editor at Automotive Management, where she helps steer the daily and long-range editorial agenda for one of the UK's most-read B2B titles serving automotive retail. Award-winning and deadline-hardened, she specialises in the parts of the industry where the stakes are highest and the jargon is thickest: technology, market development and the business model shifts that decide who thrives and who simply survives. With 20+ years in journalism across automotive and aviation, Aimée has built a reputation for turning complex industry change into clear, usable insight. At Automotive Management she focuses on the EV transition, supply and stock-mix dynamics, profitability pressures, and the practical realities of manufacturing and retail transformation, from emerging brands and network strategy to the operational impact of data, digital tools and regulation. Her work is grounded in what retailers and decision-makers actually need: what's changing, why it matters, and what to do next. Recognition for her work includes BCA Feature Writer of the Year in the 2025 Guild of Motoring Writers Awards alongside multiple international journalism accolades. The winning feature focussed on Paul Philpott's leadership at Kia UK and took a fresh approach to a manufacturer insight by reframing a well-trodden corporate turnaround story through the prism of dealer relations, trust-building, and long-term cultural change. Importantly, the feature went beyond recounting the past to explore Kia's philosophy of partnership - transparency and equal opportunity among its dealer partners - positioning these values as lessons for the wider industry. Aimée holds a BA (Hons) French with Italian from the University of London and a PGCert in French from the University of Leicester. Aimée's career began after a four-year interlude in the groves of Academe before moving fully into specialist business journalism after learning the craft on the local beat. She went on to report and edit across leading aviation titles, including Flight International and Air Traffic Management, covering European and international programmes, policy and technology with a focus on safety, sustainability and system-wide reform. Aimée's love for Radiohead is best described as a long-running commitment to music that treats sound like engineering: precise and quietly merciless. She reckons Radiohead reflects the job of a journalist perfectly: built as it is on the same uncomfortable virtues: curiosity, scepticism, pattern-spotting - all the virtues that make for a perfectly written paragraph. She speaks French professionally and can also order a beer and a ham sandwich in Italian and Spanish. When she's not interrogating markets or chasing a clean quote, you'll find her at Uppingham Volleyball Club, discovering fresh ways to practise resilience, usually involving bruises, bad calls and a ball that absolutely has it in for her.

INEOS Automotive and onX Offroad launch 50 States, 50 Trails initiative across America. What could be more enjoyable than driving a convoy of INEOS Grenadier vehicles across the United States, connecting one off-road trail to the next? In the lead-up to America's 250th Independence Day celebrations, INEOS Automotive has announced a new partnership with onX Offroad that aims to highlight some of the country's most notable off-road routes through an ambitious campaign titled 50 States, 50 Trails. The initiative will spotlight one trail in each US state over a 50-day period leading up to July 4, encouraging overlanders and off-road enthusiasts to explore the country's diverse backcountry landscapes using the INEOS Grenadier and the onX Offroad navigation platform. Beginning May 15, the selected routes will become available through the onX Offroad app throughout the summer season. According to the companies, the routes will range from scenic backcountry drives to technically demanding trails intended for experienced off-road drivers. The initiative is intended not only for existing Grenadier owners but also for the broader off-road and overland community. The campaign arrives at a time when interest in overland travel and vehicle-based adventure continues to expand across North America. Digital navigation tools such as onX Offroad have become increasingly central to that growth, providing detailed trail mapping, land ownership information, offline navigation capability, and route discovery tools for users exploring remote regions. The company says its platform currently includes more than 615,000 miles of unpaved roads and over 500,000 points of interest across the United States. As part of the collaboration, onX Offroad will offer participants 50 days of complimentary Elite membership access, allowing users to download maps offline and explore the curated routes without requiring cellular coverage. Participants are also encouraged to share their journeys using the hashtag #mygrenadier, with selected content expected to appear across INEOS Grenadier's social media channels during the campaign. George Ratcliffe, President of the Americas for INEOS Automotive, said the program was intended to encourage people to engage directly with the landscapes and trails that helped shape American off-road culture. "The Grenadier was born from the belief that adventurers need real capability. It's a modern successor to the legendary 4X4s of the past - built for those who live, work, and explore off-road, engineered with durability, longevity, and exploration in mind. With 50 States, 50 Trails, we're inviting people to get out and experience the incredible diversity of the American landscape, supported by a vehicle proven through rigorous off-road testing." onX Offroad Marketing Manager for Community and Experiential Melissa Reudelhuber said the partnership reflected a shared emphasis on exploration and accessibility. "At onX, we believe exploration is at the heart of the American spirit. Partnering with INEOS on 50 States, 50 Trails is an opportunity to showcase some of the country's most iconic landscapes and rugged terrain while empowering off-roaders to get out and experience it for themselves. With the Grenadier's capability and onX Offroad's trusted navigation, we're making it easier than ever to turn ambition into adventure." The campaign reflects the growing relationship between vehicle manufacturers and digital mapping platforms as off-road travel continues to gain traction among American consumers. It also highlights the increasing importance of curated trail content and reliable navigation tools for travelers venturing beyond paved roads. For INEOS Automotive, whose INEOS Grenadier was designed specifically as a utilitarian and mechanically focused 4WD, the partnership aligns closely with the company's broader positioning around exploration, durability, and real-world off-road capability. Click on the "Find Your Nearest Trail" button on the INEOS Grenadier website to locate the closest route featured in the 50 States, 50 Trails initiative. Its No Compromise Clause: Overland International, Inc. do not accept advertorial content or allow advertising to influence its coverage, and its contributors are guaranteed editorial independence. Overland International may earn a small commission from affiliate links included in this article. Overland International, Inc. appreciate your support. Graeme Bell is an author and explorer who has dedicated his life to traveling the planet by land, seeking adventure and unique experiences. Together with his wife and two children, Graeme has spent the last decade living permanently on the road in a self-built Land Rover based camper. They have explored 27 African countries (including West Africa), circumnavigated South America, and driven from Argentina to Alaska, which was followed by an exploration of Europe and Western Asia before returning to explore the Americas. Graeme is the Senior Editor 4WD for Expedition Portal, a member of the Explorers Club, the author of six books, and an Overland Journal contributor since 2015. You can follow Graeme's adventures across the globe on Instagram at graeme.r.bell