Group 1 continues British expansion with another dealership and new UK CEO
Group 1 Automotive made two acquisitions in the United Kingdom last week: a dealership and a CEO.
The U.S.-based dealership group added Soper of Lincoln BMW/MINI in the county of Lincolnshire, north of London, to its extensive U.K. holdings. Group 1 said the acquisition is expected to generate approximately $125 million in annual revenue.
Group 1 said it has now acquired an estimated $3.9 billion of annual revenue in 2024, following $1.1 billion of acquired revenues in 2023.
“We want to welcome our new teammates from Soper of Lincoln to the Group 1 family and are delighted to expand our operations with these great brands,” CEO Daryl Kenningham said. “Our strong relationship with the manufacturer and our experience in this market area make this a terrific addition to our U.K. operations.”
With the acquisition, Group 1, which has operated in the U.K. since 2007, now owns 260 dealerships and 44 collision centers in the U.S. and U.K., with 114 of those dealerships in the U.K.
Those stores will now be under the oversight of Mark Raban, who the company announced has been appointed CEO of Group 1 Automotive U.K.
Raban will oversee the integration of the 54 Inchcape dealerships acquired by Group 1 this summer to drive strategic growth in the U.K.
The company said Raban will use its expanded brand portfolio and presence to focus on enhancing customer experience and reinforcing Group 1’s OEM partnerships.
“Mark is a proven leader with a history of success in the U.K. motor trade,” Kenningham said. “Following the transformative growth of our U.K. business, he will be instrumental in creating a high-performing culture among our team members and engaging customers across our expanded dealership network.”
Raban comes on board with more than 20 years of executive experience in automotive retail operations and finance, most recently serving as chief financial officer and later CEO of Lookers Motor Group, a dealership group in the U.K. and Ireland. He was previously CFO of Marshall Motor Holdings and held senior finance roles with Inchcape Retail, Selfridges and Borders.
Raban said he joins Group 1 “during a pivotal moment for the organization” and is looking forward to “empowering our teams throughout the country. By harnessing our combined strengths, we can drive operational excellence and customer-centric innovation. We have an opportunity to set the highest standard for automotive retailing in the U.K.”