8:07 am, February 23, 2021
Charles Hurst Group has made Jeff McCartney its new group operations director effective immediately, it announced today (Feb 23).
He has taken over from Colin McNab, whose retirement was announced last November.
McCartney, who had been in the role on an interim basis and before that was sales operation director, joined Charles Hurst in 1988, starting in its tyres division.
He rapidly progressed through a number of management positions across the company before taking up a senior leadership role.
While interim group operations director, he has led Charles Hurst through a major digital transformation.
The new and used car group – part of Lookers – is Northern Ireland’s biggest motoring retailer. It has 900 employees over eight sites and represents 22 brands.
McCartney said: ‘The motoring industry is embarking on a period of profound change, challenge and opportunity.
‘Charles Hurst has been at the forefront of the motoring industry in Northern Ireland for more than a century.
‘As we look forward to the opportunities that innovation and change will bring in areas such as digitisation and electrification, our focus will be on continuing to provide an excellent customer experience to ensure a great customer outcome.
‘Those businesses that listen acutely to what their customers need, want and aspire to will be the ones that can successfully navigate change and avail themselves of opportunities.’
He added: ‘It is a huge privilege to be afforded the opportunity to lead the company of which I have been an integral part for 30 years.
‘I am looking forward to both the challenges and opportunities we will inevitably face and the achievements that will undoubtedly follow what will be the culmination of a lifetime’s endeavour.
‘I want to take this opportunity to thank our incredible colleagues and partners for always going above and beyond in continuing to deliver an exceptional service at all times, particularly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.’
Lookers chief operating officer Duncan McPhee said: ‘As someone who lives and breathes the Charles Hurst vision and values, with more than three decades embedded in every aspect of the business, Jeff is the perfect leader for the next phase of our journey.
‘We’re delighted to announce his appointment today as a further sign of our ambition to continue to deliver an exceptional product and service to our customers.’
Founded in 1911, Charles Hurst has its HQ in Belfast on a 30-acre site, which it says makes it Europe’s largest automotive retail park.
