PayByPhone Announces Appointment of Jonny Combe as New Global CEO

PayByPhone, the global leader in mobile parking payments, announces the appointment of Jonny Combe as global CEO.

Thirty-six-year-old Combe, already part of the senior leadership team, will work alongside current CEO Andy Gruber, who has been in the role for four years, during a transition period starting 1 July 2022. Gruber will exit the role effective 1 August 2022, to take up a senior management position within PayByPhone’s parent-company Volkswagen Financial Services AG. Gruber will also sit on the PayByPhone supervisory board, to which Combe will report, headed by Stefan Imme, Chief Digital Officer, Volkswagen Financial Services AG.

Imme says, “The journey of growth and development that Andy has led over his four years has been incredible. On behalf of Volkswagen Financial Services AG, I want to thank Andy for his hard work and dedication. As we enter the next stage of growth for the business, we are confident it is in great hands with Jonny. His track record of success sets him up well to lead the dynamic and fast-paced PayByPhone Group, ensuring exceptional results.”

During Gruber’s successful tenure at the company, PayByPhone has seen exponential growth including more than doubling the number of monthly active users of the PayByPhone app and expanding its coverage from five to 11 countries around the globe.

Gruber says, “Jonny is in a unique position to lead the business through our next phase of growth, thanks to the senior leadership positions he’s held since he joined PayByPhone in 2018. Our app is now available in nearly 1,300 cities, compared to just over 400 four years ago, and that trajectory is set to continue. He fully understands not only our products and services, but also the challenges our clients and customers face. I have full confidence and trust in Jonny as I hand the reins to him – this is an exciting time for PayByPhone.”

Combe says, “I am delighted to be taking on this role, continuing the exemplary global leadership that Andy has demonstrated, and working alongside our exceptional leadership team. As we evolve and grow, I want to drive our ethos of simplifying our clients’ and customers’ journeys and encourage our teams across the globe to continue to embrace our winning mindset. The reason is simple. We are in a unique position; PayByPhone is the only player in our industry to have an app that can be used globally, in nearly 1,300 cities. The possibilities for continued growth and success are outstanding.”

Combe, who will relocate from the UK to Vancouver, Canada, will continue to lead the corporate division until a replacement is appointed. Before taking responsibility for the corporate business, Combe was CEO of the UK market, a position he held for four years, where he led it to massive growth and launched a multi-award-winning environmental initiative. Combe’s background is steeped in not only mobility but also technology. Before joining PayByPhone, Combe held several high-profile management roles at BMW Group, looking after its environment, real estate, mobility, and innovation team in EMEA. Most notably, he spearheaded BMW’s digital and innovation programmes in the UK and pioneered the birth of the award-winning BMW Innovation Lab.