30 January 2020

POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19

F&I has been both a vital marketing tool and a key driver of profit and customer retention within the UK auto retail Industry for many years. Whether you are a retailer, manufacturer or finance provider, the winds of change impacting on your profitability are rapidly increasing to gale force. The challenges are evident, but are there opportunities?

In November, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was heavily critical of the model used by retailers when promoting insurance-backed added-value products. Its finalised guidance made it evident change was expected. A month previously, the FCA published its consultation paper on motor finance which proposed a ban on discretionary commission structures and a requirement for significantly increased commission disclosure transparency.

The developments for insurance are immediate, while for finance, from 1 August, we can expect to see new operating standards to come into force.

What’s clear is that the FCA’s recent papers, aligned to the Senior Managers & Certification Regime, stand to create far ranging and structural changes. These are set to legislate how the industry can sell and promote F&I services to UK car buyers in 2020 and beyond.

See the agenda for the conference here

Our speakers and panellists will set the record straight, divulge new research and be available to answer your questions. The list of experts is the strongest we’ve ever had for a conference and includes:

Mark Lavery, CEO, Cambria Automobiles • Graeme Potts, CEO, Eden Motor Group • Neil Smith, Operations Director, Imperial Cars • Mike Pierce, Managing Director, Sytner Finance• Adrian Dally, Head of Motor, FLA • Andy Tong, Founder, Profit Training • Steve Rowe, F&I Director Vertu and many more. Read the speaker profiles here

Key conference topics will include:

• The latest update on FCA Legislation and how it will impact your business
• Maximising profit opportunities from your F&I department
• Ensuring you retain and grow you customer base
• Understanding and implementing F&I best practice in your business
• Advice and guidance from the Industries leading experts

Book HERE or call the booking hotline on 01572 724687 to reserve your place.

Due to limited places tickets can only be booked by auto retailers or manufacturer/NSC’s on this site.

If you are a supplier please call 01572 724687 to discuss attendance at this event.

Agenda

09.00 – 09.45: Registration

09.45 – 09.50: Welcome, Al Clarke, conference chairman

09.50 – 10.10: Introduction, Debbie McKay, Head of Motor – Major Accounts, MotoNovo Finance

10.10 – 10.35: The temperature of the industry, Jolyon Barker, CEO, Chrysalis Loyalty

Results of unique industry research

The Future for Auto Retail Finance

10.35 -10.55: The key issues facing auto retailers, Adrian Dally, Head of Motor, The FLA

10.55- 11.35: Panel discussion and audience Q&A

This in-depth session will address the key challenges facing the auto retail industry today and in the future. We will discuss commission rates, compliance, the Senior Managers Certification Regime (SM&CR), and new models for finance and risk.

Our panel of experts will discuss how they will impact your finance sales. They will address what you need to do to in your business to incorporate the necessary ‘new thinking’ to ensure continued healthy returns. The panel will address audience questions during this session.

Panel: Mike Pierce, Managing Director, Sytner Finance. Tara Williams, CEO, I-Comply. Adrian Dally, Head of Motor, FLA. Justin Clements, Head of Business, MotoNovo. Neil Smith, Operations Director, Imperial Cars.

11.35- 11.55: Refreshment break

The Future for Auto Retail Insurance

11.55-12.15: The key issues facing auto retailers, Martin Hill, Director, AutoProtect

12.15-13.00: Panel discussion and audience Q&A

This session will explore the current proposition and prospects for added value products – GAP, MBI and SMART Insurance, compliance challenges and the prospects for auto insurance sales in 2020 and beyond. The panel will contribute to an informed and lively debate and  address audience questions.

Panel: John Brannigan, Director, RTS FIMTRAC. Martin Hill, Director, AutoProtect. Tara Williams, CEO, I-Comply. Graeme Potts, CEO, Eden Motor Group. Steve Rowe, F&I Director, Vertu Motors.

13.00 – 13.45: Lunch

13.45 – 14.10: Your future roadmap for finance sales,  Andy Tong, Profit Training

Andy will provide your critical path to continued success for your finance sales. He will give you the key items to address and how best to implement them in your business.

14.10 – 14.40: Your future roadmap for insurance sales, John Brannigan, Director, RTS FIMTRAC

Our presenter will provide your critical path to continued success for your insurance sales. He will give you the key items to address and how best to implement them in your business.

14.40 – 15.10: Keynote: A personal view on the future of F&I from one of the auto retail industry’s leading CEOs,  Mark Lavery, CEO, Cambria Automobiles

15.10 – 15.45: Event Q&A, Moderator – Al Clarke

16.00: Event close

Book HERE or call the booking hotline on 01572 724687 to reserve your place.

Due to limited places tickets can only be booked by auto retailers or manufacturer/NSC’s on this site.

If you are a supplier please call 01572 724687 to discuss attendance at this event.

Speaker profiles

Mark Lavery, Chief Executive Officer, Cambria Automobiles plc

Mark Lavery has over 35 year’s automotive retail experience joining the trade on a short-term contract at Skelmersdale Motors, a Ford Main Dealer based just outside Merseyside. A role became available in the Sales Team, and Mark progressed to Sales Manager and then became the youngest General Manager in the AFG Group taking the General Manager role at Rochdale when he was 22.

After 5 years at AFG, joined Harwell plc as a Floating General Manager and progressed to Group Operations Director before he left take a role at Reg Vardy as Operations Director.

Mark formed Cambria in 2006 and has taken the organization of a first year turnover of £26m to last year’s turnover £658m, first year profit of £107k, to last years profit of £12.276m

Michael Pierce, Managing Director, Sytner Finance

Mike has complete responsibility for Finance and Insurance across the Sytner Group. The business has 10,000+ employees across 115 sites, a turnover of £6 billion, with £2.5 billion of  customer funding

He has oversight for TCF, integrity, risk and F&I strategy. In addition to being a main board director, he is the mentor for the group F&I Director and F&I Compliance Director.

Mike chairs the NFDA ‘F&I Working Group’, which advises UK franchise retailers on F&I regulatory matters. A key part of this role is regular interaction with the FCA on behalf of the NFDA. Mike is also the current Co-Chair of the ‘FLA & NFDA Liaison Group’ which works with FLA members to deliver ‘best customer outcomes’.

Graeme Potts, Chief Executive Officer, Eden Motor Group

Graeme has enjoyed a highly successful and wide-ranging career in the automotive retail and business service sectors spanning over 30 years. He started his automotive career at Reg Vardy, rising to the position of Chief Executive Officer.  Following Reg Vardy, Graeme enjoyed eight years with large PLCs – firstly as Group Managing Director of RAC Motoring Services, and then with Inchcape as Managing Director UK, Europe and Latin America.

In 2008, Graeme formed Eden Motor Group, which is today comprised of twenty dealerships, representing the Vauxhall, Hyundai, Mazda, Fiat, Suzuki, MG and Peugeot brands.

Adrian Dally, Head of Motor Finance, Finance and Leasing Association

Adrian is Head of Motor Finance at the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA). Before joining the FLA, Adrian spent 26 years in policy-making roles in Whitehall and Brussels, specialising in a number of areas including financial services, consumer protection policy, competition and the European Union. During this time he fulfilled a number of roles, including as a UK negotiator in the EU institutions and as private secretary to two cabinet ministers. His last role was at the Financial Ombudsman Service, where he was its Head of Policy.

Steve Rowe, F&I Director, Vertu Motors Plc

Steve has over 20 years F&I experience with Vertu and previously Pendragon, where as Customer Services Director he had responsibility for F&I / Training and BDC. His responsibilities within Vertu include prime and near prime Finance company relationships, with a dedicated team managing credit repair for near prime customers. He also works with a large panel of finance companies to deliver the right customer outcomes through 120+ dealership locations. Steve has worked directly with the FCA representing the industry on Finance & Insurance discussions, and works with bespoke insurers to design and deliver insurance products to fit Vertu customer needs.

Steve is currently the Vice Chair of the NFDA ‘F&I Working Group’ taking responsibility from Mike Pierce in June 2020.

Neil Smith, Business Operations Director, Imperial Cars

Neil  joined Imperial Cars in 2010 as business development manager, responsible for devising and implementing the company’s entire marketing and communications strategy encompassing both traditional and digital channels; branding and business processes. In 2015 he was promoted to business operations director expanding his portfolio of responsibility dramatically and has been a key driver in taking the group to its current 16 showrooms and a turnover of £201 million in FY 2018/19. Prior to joining Imperial, Smith spent two years as business development manager at PB Digital Creative Agency, previously, he spent 25 years at Snows Business Forms, print suppliers to the motor industry, and as marketing director, he headed a range of major automotive accounts including Volkswagen Group, Vauxhall, Mercedes, BMW and Nissan.

Jolyon Barker, CEO, Chrysalis Loyalty

Jolyon has more than 25 years’ experience in the Motor Sales industry, starting out with a local privately owned motor sales group working with Lombard Finance for Rover cars. In 1995 Jolyon joined Britax PLC as part of the Bristol Street Motors Group Head Office management team where, over the next 5 years, he managed a number of dealerships as area manager, and was part of a nationwide task force setting up new franchises.

Following this Jolyon moved into trade cycle management with US consultancy group Half A Car, providing consultancy services to Ford Motor Group across 7 European countries.  During this period he was also a key member of the newly emerging e-Commerce team, training clients in distance selling regulations and e-commerce sales processes. Jolyon started Chrysalis Loyalty in 2004 to develop a finance retention and customer trade cycle management solution for dealers, growing the business to its current reach of 2500 dealers in 14 countries.

John Brannigan, Chief Client Officer, RTS Group

John is Chief Client Officer of the RTS Group a Learning and Development company working mainly in the Automotive and Banking sectors.  John is also responsible for FIMTRAC, a specialist arm of RTS who focus on F&I in retail and business automotive sales and compliance.

John has extensive F&I experience and set up FIMTRAC in 2000 having previously worked with dealer groups and an OEM finance house for over fifteen years.  Although based in the UK the RTS Group work with international businesses and John has worked with clients in Europe, USA, China and Asia, Australia and Africa.

Martin Hill MBA, Director of Strategic Partnerships, AutoProtect Group

Formerly MD of F&I tech platform DealTrak, Martin was appointed to the newly created role of Director of Strategic Partnerships for the AutoProtect Group in 2019. This wide ranging remit involves helping to shape the Group’s value proposition and then propagate this vision to the UK automotive sector. He has held senior leadership roles in a number of automotive finance & insurance, fintech and compliance organisations including Nat West and GE Capital. These experiences have provided Martin with a distinct automotive F&I, fintech and regulatory knowledge and awareness.

Martin’s understanding of the transformative power of new and emerging digital trends and the increasing backdrop of financial regulation enables him to lead AutoProtect’s partnership programme and resources to work with a broad roster of clients collaboratively. Central to his approach is a drive to help clients to successfully manage change. Martin holds a Law degree from Keele University and an MBA from the OU Business School.

Tara Williams, Managing Director, i-Comply Online

Tara is a highly respected and experienced compliance professional specialising in the automotive finance and insurance sector. Combining experience that includes working within a major automotive retail group, working with OEMs, retailers and finance providers. Tara has a wealth of experience in providing financial service compliance support to a broad range of organisations, including the development of appropriate processes and controls.

A regular speaker and commentator on the evolving regulatory landscape, Tara’s automotive financial services background enables her to provide practical insights on positive change.

 Al Clark, Conference Chairman, Auto Retail Network

Al has held senior executive roles with Ferrari, Maserati and the SMMT. Al started his career as a journalist and presenter with a decade working for the BBC and in commercial radio.

He has a particular interest in the application of digital technology and connected car services in the automotive industry and regularly speaks at, and chairs events on, these issues.

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