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Group Managing Director
Speaking as a car enthusiast, I should have always worked in the car industry, and almost always have…but not quite.
I started university in Dundee studying for a degree in Electronic Engineering. This was a big mistake! But you know what it’s like when your parents push you in a particular direction, believing something to be ‘sensible’ and ‘in your best interest’. An earlier application to be a pilot in the RAF, initially unsuccessful as I was “too young”, came good, and gave me a reason to leave university! I quickly realised this wasn’t for me either!
Then I got involved in ‘High Street Retail’, as a Branch Manager with Currys, and realised I enjoyed selling, chasing targets, merchandising, and learning about business metrics. I did this for a few years before using what I had learned to join the car industry in 1986 as a ‘Corporate Sales Executive’. Apparently the ‘accounts and business’ learnings from Currys were what swung it for me. I was 21 in 1986.
I worked as a Corporate Sales Executive / Sales Executive for just under three years, winning a Business Centre Manager award along the way. The business was called Merrylee Motors and was a Volkswagen, Audi and Volkswagen Van business (all in one small showroom) in Dundee, owned by what was then Scotland’s largest car retailer – SMT. I did this for just under three years before ‘acing’ the SMT Trainee Manager programme and securing a sales management role, but in Glasgow! This was a big move from Dundee, all the more nerve-wracking with a young family, but I was eager to forge a career in the car industry so made the move. I moved to Glasgow in 1988.
in 1991, as Sales Manager at what was then called ‘Western Mercedes’ winning ‘Sales Manager of the Year’ in 1993, with a trip to Hong Kong as the reward. In 1994 I left EWMG (mistake!) to re-join what was now ‘Lex’ Vauxhall back in Glasgow, quickly moving to a Dealer Principal role with Lex running their Audi & Volkswagen businesses in the south of Glasgow. But I wanted to return to EWMG realising they (or now ‘we’) were the future. I now had a better appreciation of the potential of EWMG working for a young, ambitious, and fundamentally decent owner, Douglas. Choosing who to work for is one of the biggest decisions you can make.
I re-joined EWMG as Sales Manager at Eastern BMW. This was technically a ‘step down’ but sometimes that is necessary for longer term success. Getting yourself onto the correct trajectory is really important. I was promoted to General Manager of Eastern BMW and Eastern MINI in 1998 and joined the Board of EWMG in 2002.
The evolution of EWMG in the last twenty years has been nothing short of amazing. EWMG is now a major force in not only the Scottish Motor Industry, but also on the larger UK-wide stage. We are a profitable, stable, well-funded, ambitious business, where people from all walks of life with a range of different skills, can flourish. We have the utmost respect for our colleagues and the brands we represent. We are a business upon which you can plan your life.
Group Finance Director & Company Secretary Eastern Holdings
Having newly qualified with one of the four major international accountancy firms, I joined the Group in 1984 as ‘Assistant to the Group Accountant & Company Secretary’.
My early task was bringing financial MI up-to-date, reporting how the business was performing. By 1985, we had introduced new accounting procedures including the upgrading of manual processes, as well as migrating to computer systems. The next steps were to recruit appropriate staff to undertake the bookkeeping responsibilities to produce meaningful monthly performance MI for dealerships, as well as manufacturer franchise brands.
I was promoted to Group Accountant & Company Secretary in the Spring of 1987, quickly moving into the role of Group Finance Director & Secretary in the Spring of 1988, this being the first time the company had a Finance Director since its inception in 1927. The Group continued to grow in size and franchise offerings. As part of the company’s development, I afforded all members of the accounting team the opportunity to gain a professional accounting accreditation. Many are now fully qualified, certified accountants.
Kenny Robb, now Financial Director of Eastern Western Motor Group was the first to successfully achieve the ACCA qualification (now a FCCA) and we have since put a number of employees through the system including recently taking one colleague through their ‘chartered accountancy’ qualification. One of the high points for me is seeing the next generation passing their exams, progressing into senior accounting positions and even on to General Manager/Franchise Director roles in Group motor businesses.
Have the last 38 years been hard? Yes of course they have, but they have also been rewarding. I am very proud of the Groups growth and the part the accounting team have played in that growth. Eastern Western are now 13th in the Top 100 Scottish Companies, as per the Grant Thornton 2022 Report. I am often asked when will I retire given my tenure with the Group … I reply I am still enjoying it and having fun so not quite yet.
Financial Director Eastern Western Motor Group
I joined the Group in September 1991 from a small firm of accountants in Edinburgh where I started my accountancy training. I was employed at our Mercedes-Benz franchise in Colinton Road, Edinburgh and to this day there are still people working in the Group who were there when I started. At one point Keith Duncan and I worked together at this site.
I started a training plan with the long-term objective of becoming the Administration Manager. Firstly, I learned how to administer purchases, moving quickly to the administration of vehicle stock and sales. It was so long ago that our dealer management system did not produce a vehicle stock list so part of my job every Friday was to check what had been bought and sold to allow a new stock list to be prepared. This took about 5 hours every week.
I was then trained to understand and produce accounts. I was promoted to the position of Administration Manager in 1995. In 1996 I became Group Project Accountant reporting to the Group Financial Controller. This role was very varied and I was able to move between dealerships assisting where required and carrying out internal audits. I was promoted to the role of Group Financial Controller around the year 2000.
The continued expansion of the Group required us to build a Head Office Accounts Team, all of whom, I’m delighted to say are all still working with me today. In 2011, I became Finance Director for Eastern Western Motor Group. This is a busy and varied roll with many responsibilities, not least ensuring the working capital is controlled, assets are protected and funding is in place for the day-to-day activities.
Divisional Managing Director
I joined the group in 1988 as a Sales Trainee aged 19. To me it was a perfect fit, working with beautiful cars, in an exciting and good fun environment. During my first 2 years, I moved around the Group, working mainly with our auction disposal team which was a great education. I then spent time at our accident and repair centre and marketing departments, which gave me a great all-round appreciation of the inner-workings of the Group.
I then returned to Eastern BMW where I started my sales career in earnest. BMW UK offer excellent sales training and the company supported me with this. After 10 years learning and mastering the sales role, in 1998 I was promoted to Sales Manager despite being the youngest member of the sales team. The company ethos is always to promote from within and after four successful years, I was once again promoted, this time to Dealer Principal.
This was a big step, but the support from the company allied with the superb manufacturer training and self development courses, meant I was equipped quickly for the role. I had excellent mentoring and support, which readied me for my next role as Franchise Director for BMW and MINI in 2014. In 2017, we bought ‘Grassicks Garages’ in Perth and I was involved with the successful integration of this business into Eastern Western Motor Group.
Divisional Managing Director
From a young age I had a great passion for cars and there was only ever one industry I saw myself working in. After leaving school I went to Strathclyde University and worked hard to attain a first-class Honours Degree in Marketing and Finance. Then I had to decide whether to join a car manufacturer, like Ford, who had a great graduate training programme or go straight into the retail motor industry. I chose the latter, not least because I knew I wanted to live in Scotland.
I worked for an Edinburgh-based company called JM Group and learned about car retailing from the ground up. I worked in five different roles in five years. At that point, the time seemed right to experience how another company operated and I joined Eastern Western Motor Group in 1997 as Sales Manager of Western Saab, Edinburgh. This was a great move for me and I was quickly promoted to General Manager of the Group’s first Volkswagen business in Falkirk, progressing quickly to become General Manager of Western Saab Edinburgh and Newcastle. The success of these businesses saw the Group expand with Saab into Glasgow and Perth, and I was at the helm of all four businesses. We became the UK’s largest Saab retailer, and possibly the largest in Europe. Unfortunately the manufacturer Saab ceased trading in 2011. This meant we had to introduce new brands to what had previously been Saab dealerships.
The Group introduced Nissan and Mazda franchises in 2010 and as Dealer Principal, I was responsible for the initial set up. I subsequently progressed to Franchise Director of both brands. Our Nissan and Mazda Franchises have expanded significantly since then with Nissan Stirling and Fife opening in 2015. The acquisition of Barnetts Motor Group in 2018 saw us expand with the Nissan and Mazda franchises in Dundee.
In 2021, I was involved heavily with our purchase of Alex F Noble & Son, assisting with integrating this business into our portfolio of very successful Nissan and award-winning Mazda franchises.
I have been very fortunate to have worked with some of the best people and the best franchises anywhere in the motor industry and I am excited about the future of Eastern Western Motor Group.
Divisional Managing Director
From an early age, I have always had an interest in cars. Having dragged my Dad around local garages and auctions many times, It was clear a career in the Motor Industry was what I wanted.
Having left school, I joined EWMG as a Sales Trainee in 1990, gaining experience in Western Mercedes at Colinton Road and then in a range of departments across the Group. In 1992, I moved permanently to Western Citroen, initially as a Sales Executive, before becoming Fleet Sales Manager and finally Sales Manager of the business. In 1998, I joined Western Volkswagen in Falkirk as Sales Manager, and was promoted in 2001 to be General Manager of the newly built Western Volkswagen retailer in Grangemouth, overseeing the move from Falkirk.
I have always enjoyed the opportunities working for EWMG has brought and I was next appointed to be General Manager of Western Commercial in 2004, my first foray into the world of Mercedes-Benz light and heavy commercial vehicles.
Following an in-depth manufacture assessment in 2006, I was given the chance to become Market Area Director of Mercedes-Benz of Edinburgh and Coldstream. In 2007, we relocated to a much larger premises at Newbridge, affording us the space required for our rapidly growing business. In 2018 I opened a purpose built Mercedes-Benz dealer in East Edinburgh and our Dunfermline dealership opened in 2022. The franchise has won several awards in recent years including ‘Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year’ in 2014 and 2018, ‘Workshop Team of Year’ 2019 and ‘Customer Service Team of the Year’ 2021.
I was appointed Divisional Managing Director in January 2023.
I have always believed our business is all about our customers and there is a customer at the end of everything we do. It does not matter which job role you have, there is always a customer involved and how you do your job can and will affect them, either positively or not. Of course we need to have a great team of people to deliver the service the many loyal customers coming to EWMG expect. EWMG represents some of the best known automotive brands in the world, has outstanding dealerships to work from and all of these factors make us a great place to build your career.
8 Westerton Road, East Mains Industrial Estate, Broxburn
West Lothian EH52 5AU
Calls may be monitored for quality and training purposes. Eastern Western Motor Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and insurance distribution activities under reference number 310505 – we are a credit broker not a lender. Registered Office: 8 Westerton Road, East Mains Industrial Estate, Broxburn West Lothian EH52 5AU Registered in Scotland No. 38211. VAT Registration No. 269233051.
We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers.