Autotech Group announces new leadership structure

Last September Autotech Group founder Gavin White revealed his brain tumour diagnosis. Now commenting that he is continuing treatment and “doctors remain pleased with my progress”, at that time, White also announced that succession plans for Autotech Group, due for implementation in 2024, would be accelerated. Now, the Autotech Group has announced that Simon King has been formally appointed to the position of company CEO and an executive team has been implemented.

As White explained: “Together with my two co-founders, Andrew Sly and Stephen Hughes, we will continue to support and champion the ongoing success of the business as shareholders. We are incredibly proud of the company Autotech Group is today and the people who continue to make it a resounding success.

Following the new of Simon King’s appointment as CEO, Mark Armitage, who initially joined the company last year as commercial director, becomes chief revenue officer, and Laurence Abbott, who moves from his position as marketing and technology director, has become Autotech Group’s chief technology officer and managing director of Autotech Connect.

In preparation for further growth, Autotech Group has also strengthened its foundation with the creation of group and senior leadership teams, incorporating several new appointments.

The Group leadership team includes Natalie Hodgson, who joins as marketing director, Faye Drage, previously the company’s HR director and now head of people, and former financial controller, Justin Ampofo, who has become finance director. Dominic Hunter, who now adds company secretary to his title of group head of quality, completes the group leadership team.

The senior leadership team incorporates James Mackay and Alistair Macdonald, who become managing director and sales & operations director of the company’s Recruit and Academy divisions respectively, and Alistair McCrindle, operations director for Autotech Training.

Adhering to the company’s founding principles of training and retaining talent, many of the newly created positions represent promotions of team members who have been part of the Autotech Group journey since its early days.

“Our new company structure has been in development for a significant period,” comments CEO, Simon King. “With four company divisions, the focus was on ensuring that the right people were in the right position to lead sustainable growth and I am delighted that so many of these appointments were made internally. We place a significant amount of value in our team, and I believe this sends a strong message to our shareholders and the wider industry that we have the best possible foundation in place to grow.”

The company’s newly formed Group Leadership Team (Photo: Autotech Group)