VCHRGD appoints Chief AI Officer as electric vehicle charging firm expands software development

South Buckinghamshire electric vehicle charging business VCHRGD has appointed James Read as its Chief AI Officer. The Bourne End-based firm, which manufactures electric vehicle chargers and develops connected technology, said Read joins as the company expands its software operations. He will oversee the development of artificial intelligence tools, software systems, and connected platforms.

Read joins the company following a career that includes serving as a Boeing 777 captain for more than 25 years. He subsequently managed UK and Finland testing teams within Tesla’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems program and founded a financial compliance software business.

In his new role, Read will lead projects intended to integrate internal software tools and support customer-facing operations across residential, commercial, and fleet markets.

James Read commented: “I’m incredibly excited by the opportunity to build technology that works for our people and customers. AI gives us enormous potential, assisting our people to work more efficiently, improving our customer experiences and removing complexity from our systems. We’re building technology that will help customers, support our partners and give the business the platform it needs for its next stage of growth.”

The appointment forms part of a wider restructuring as the company shifts from a hardware manufacturer toward an integrated charging technology model. The business appointed Gordon Ross as marketing director earlier in the year and has begun recruiting across engineering, customer support, and commercial functions.

Phil McDermott, executive chairman at VCHRGD, said: “The future of EV charging will be shaped by intelligent software, connected services and businesses that continually find better ways to support customers and partners. James brings a rare combination of operational leadership, software expertise and AI capability that will help accelerate that vision, ensuring VCHRGD continues to grow sustainably.”

The new appointment follows VCHRGD’s recent partnership agreement with Kelvelec, which saw the company build its wholesale channel and enable further business growth.