Group 1 Automotive has promoted its director of operations Mark Bridgland to the put up of managing director – ending 22 months with out an MD.
The US-based AM100 car retail group has been with out an MD since Darren Guiver departed to “take time away from the business” in November 2019.
Now 39-year-old Bridgland will take the helm, assuming accountability for the corporate’s human sources, finance and different assist features within the UK along with oversight of dealership operations.
Group 1 president and chief government Earl Hesterberg mentioned: “Mark has spent 20 years working within the automotive trade and over the previous 9 years at Group 1 has been instrumental within the success of our UK operations.
“We’re happy to increase his function to managing director as his background and confirmed management make him an excellent candidate to imagine this vital function.”
Bridgland started his profession at Group 1 in 2013 because the UK’s finance and insurance coverage compliance supervisor, becoming a member of from Lookers, the place he was its regional finance and insurance coverage improvement supervisor.
As of year-end 2021, Group 1 operated 75 franchised websites working from 55 areas throughout the UK.
Its enterprise additionally contains 12 collision centres.
Group 1’s UK operations grew in 2021 by way of the acquisition of nine-site Robinsons Motor Group.
In a Q1 trading update issued in May the enterprise revealed that its revenues had risen 30.1% through the interval to the top of March to succeed in a file $3.8 billion (£3.03bn) as internet earnings from persevering with operations hit a file $201.1m (£160.3m) – a 99.3% enhance year-on-year.
Information of the spectacular begin to 2022 got here three months after its annual monetary outcomes for 2021 confirmed a 27.2% enhance in revenues as gross revenue rose 40.7%.
Commenting on the Q1 2022 outcome on the time, Group 1 president and chief government Earl J. Hesterberg mentioned: “Our file revenue efficiency this quarter was the results of continued robust client demand and excellent operational efficiency throughout all enterprise segments within the US and UK.”
