Marshall Motor Group announces two senior appointments
Marshall Motor Group has announced two senior appointments as it continues to strengthen its leadership team.
Matt Southall (pictured below) has been appointed as strategy and technology director to lead the digital transformation within the group, strengthen the commercial focus and support all commercial areas of the business.
David Johnson (pictured below) has joined as property director to oversee one of the largest commercial footprints in the UK automotive retail space.
Southall has significant experience of managing technology, change and development across large retail operations, most recently at Lithia where he led the strategic planning to identify and unlock the synergies that existed across Pendragon and Jardine Motors following their acquisitions.
He started his career in strategy consulting, spending five years at Deloitte, advising businesses on strategy development and value creation across retail, consumer business, technology and media sectors.
He held senior strategic and operational roles at Argos, which was subsequently acquired by Sainsbury’s, and was responsible for the commercial performance and transformation of the B2B division in Argos.
He joined Pendragon in early 2020, with a brief to refresh its strategy and led the implementation of numerous initiatives to drive digital, operational and commercial change.
Johnson has more than 35 years of automotive property experience, with 20 years in the corporate real estate sector and a further 15 years of consultancy work in private practice.
He spent 18 years at Listers Group, serving on the operational board as property director for the past 13 years with responsibilities for site finding, acquisitions and disposals, rent reviews, lease renewals, providing restructuring advice and negotiations, strategic asset management and general portfolio advice.
Prior to this, Johnson spent 10 years in the automotive team at property consultants Colliers International. Most recently, he has been in private practice with Rapleys LLP as part of its automotive and roadside team advising dealer groups.
Martin Casha, Marshall Motor Group CEO, said: “We are very pleased to announce these two significant appointments to the Marshall Motor Group senior leadership team.”
FMG Repair Services appoints tech & innovation champion
FMG Repair has appointed of Michael Massey to the role of head of technical capability and innovation.
He will lead initiatives to future-proof the business, heading up its environmental sustainability programme and championing technological advancements for the products, processes and repair methods for today’s FMGRS bodyshops, along with future site developments.
He most recently worked at 3M as a senior engineer and the technical leader in the development of new products. He is also an ambassador for the Automotive School of Thought.
Carl Manton, operations director for change at FMG repair Services, said: “I am delighted to welcome Mike to my team and welcome his wealth of experience gathering cross sector insight into technical innovation which he translated into solutions for the collision repair market.
“This industry is always evolving and Mike’s appointment to this key role will position FMGRS as a market leader in technical expertise and innovation within the industry.”
Massey added: “FMG Repair Services is a forward-thinking business with a very clear vision to make a difference in the future of the automotive industry.
“I look forward to supporting the great work that’s already been done and leading initiatives to ensure that FMGRS remains at the forefront of the industry.”
New senior editor for Cap HPI valuations team
Craig Bridgman has been appointed as a new senior editor on Cap HPI’s valuations team.
He will be working closely with fellow members of the valuations team helping to further grow the reach of the leading automotive data business.
He has 25 years of experience in the automotive sector with expertise in sales, leasing and data analysis, research and market insight. He will report to Derren Martin, director of valuations of Cap HPI.
Having spent the past two years as a principal consultant at Cap HPI before this appointment, he was previously auction sales manager at Motability Operations.
For 14 years, he was responsible for remarketing ex-contract lease vehicles at various locations, used vehicle inspection and valuations. Prior to this, he also worked with manufacturers including Saab and Vauxhall.
He said: “This is a great opportunity, and I’m excited to be joining the most reputable valuations team in the industry.
“With leading-edge technology at its disposal, Cap HPI ‘s data and insight are respected across the entire automotive sector.”
Martin added: “We are continually looking at new ways to enhance the data and technology we provide to the industry, balancing innovation with the recruitment and retention of industry-leading professionals who have a wealth of valuable experience.”
Radius Vehicle Solutions names new head of group operations
Radius Vehicle Solutions (RVS) has appointed Natasha Ramsay as its new head of group operations across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Ramsay joins RVS with a master’s in business management, having previously held multiple senior and executive roles.
Paul McGuire, managing director of Radius Vehicle Solutions, said: “Our industry is experiencing the biggest shift in its history with decarbonisation, electrification, digital connectivity and shifting attitudes towards sustainability all more prevalent than ever before.
“To be at the forefront of these changes we need all our people in RVS to have an enthusiastic and have a progressive outlook on the industry and that is exactly what we have with Natasha.
“Natasha has a wealth of knowledge in the motoring industry and will be crucial as we drive RVS into its next stage of growth, cementing our place as market leaders.”
Ramsay added: “I am grateful to be part of the Radius team, as we embark on this transformative journey collectively, navigating the evolving landscape of the industry.”
Daf Trucks appoints Louis Jones to lead EV capability
Daf Trucks has appointed Louis Jones to the role of EV and connected services director.
He joins a growing EV department at Daf’s head-office in Haddenham including Adam Bennett, EV and sustainability manager, and Amy Carter, EV operations manager, and reporting to Gareth Halliwell, business planning director.
Following a two-year, senior EV role with Scania, Jones assumes responsibility for the development of Daf’s EV programme encompassing sales, aftersales, Daf Dealer network EV strategy and charging infrastructure roll-out.
He also heads-up PACCAR Connect, the revised connected services offering from Daf.
During his time with Scania, Jones, 29, was responsible for ‘business readiness’ of EV products across the dealer network, including the electrification of the company’s internal fleet of cars and vans, and development of Scania’s charging proposition.
His time with Scania also saw the development of key relationships with high-profile industry initiatives such as ZEHID.
Graduating from Lancaster University, Jones joined the financial services division of Mercedes-Benz where he spent time overseas, also in fleet management, as executive assistant to board level directors.
He then moved to Mercedes-Benz Vans as business improvement manager and culminating as project manager for electric mobility.
Jones said: “I am thrilled at the opportunity to join the market leader and its fantastic range of zero-emissions products.”
Halliwell added: “Louis has a fantastic grasp of the commercial EV sector, boasting an extensive knowledge base and proven track record. This will be vital as we work in partnership with our dealer network to develop and drive forward our EV offering for operators.”
Joe Pattinson to lead mobility sales at Allianz Partners
Allianz Partners UK and Ireland has appointed Joe Pattinson as its new head of mobility.
He joins Allianz Partners after several years playing a key role in BMW’s Chinese strategy.
During this time, he led the firm’s digital strategy, launched and tested several new mobility products, and developed BMW’s sustainability strategy in the region.
He has spent 25 years in the automotive industry, beginning his career at the Royal Bank of Scotland, before joining BMW Financial Services UK where he ran the marketing department and latterly the UK insurance business.
In his new role, he will lead strategic relationships across the automotive sector and his focus will be on profitably growing the mobility business.
He said: “I am eagerly anticipating the challenge of growing Allianz’s Mobility business. As a market leader, our task is to execute a strategy that ensures we continue on our growth trajectory.”