Dave Cantin Group announced it has promoted chief business and strategy officer Brian Gordon to president of the company and its related businesses.

In a news release, the mergers and acquisitions advisory company said Gordon, who has been with the company for two years, is tasked with leading the “ongoing evolution of the DCG business from M&A broker to the only M&A advisory company specializing in retail automotive.”

Gordon will lead the company’s day-to-day business and driving its vision and strategic investment in advisory capabilities and market intelligence, including DCG’s proprietary artificial intelligence platform Jump IQ and its bi-annual Market Outlook Report. He’ll also work with CEO Dave Cantin on the company’s client relationships.

Brian Gordon

“Brian’s leadership and 25 years of experience building advisory businesses has been instrumental in our ongoing evolution from broker to advisor,” Cantin said. “Elevating him to president demonstrates our commitment to building a business completely focused on driving ongoing value to our clients, not just about successfully managing their acquisitions.”

During his career, Gordon has worked in an advisory capacity with high-profile brands, including American Express, Diageo, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft, and has built and exited two services businesses.

DCG said he brings a “unique perspective” to the retail automotive M&A landscape, with a strong track record in automotive industry strategy and insights.

The company said Gordon’s promotion comes at a “critical time,” as DCG is scaling up during its busiest year on record and introducing new capabilities for its clients. DCG said Cantin and Gordon recently completed a company reorganization that centralizes core business operations to align more closely with the investment banking advisory model.

“Retail automotive executives are demanding more sophisticated and comprehensive M&A advisory services and there’s a gap there with the traditional broker model that’s so prevalent today,” Gordon said. “I am humbled to lead Dave’s mission to further develop DCG into the company dealership owners see value in working with on their ongoing M&A strategy as well as their acquisitions.”

Gordon will be among the panelists for the “Automotive Investment & Buy-Sell Landscape” discussion at the Auto Intel Summit in Cary, N.C., next month. He will join fellow executives from dealer buy-sell advisories as well as venture capital firms to discuss M&A among dealer groups and the overall auto industry, plus investment in automotive technology from dealers and VCs.