3:18 pm, September 19, 2024
Jon Wakefield – the former Volvo Cars UK MD – has stepped down from his position as CEO at dealer group Harwoods with immediate effect.
The dealer group said today that Archie Harwood will step up from his role as chief transformation officer and back into the CEO role he vacated two years ago.
Wakefield was appointed to the dealer group – which represents JLR, Audi, Volvo, Ineos, Bentley, McLaren and Aston Martin – in January 2023.
Wakefield worked for Volvo for six years in the UK as sales director and then managing director.
He was then moved to Sweden to run their home market as managing director and then promoted to VP Western Europe. He left Volvo in 2022.
No reason was given for Wakefield’s immediate departure from the group.
A statement from the firm said: ‘Harwoods Limited today announced that Jon Wakefield has decided to step down as chief executive officer and will leave the company immediately.
‘Archie Harwood, currently chief transformation officer, will take the role of chief executive officer. Archie was previously in this role, before stepping down in January 2023, to focus on the development of the company’s technology platform.’
When Wakefield was appointed, the company said the move was part of wider ‘succession planning’ as it looked to ‘scale the business’.
Company chairman William Fall thanked Wakefield for his time at the dealer group.
He said: ‘Since the end of Covid, the industry has faced a number of headwinds, including global supply chain challenges, economic uncertainty and changes in the OEMs’ relationship with their dealer networks.
‘As for others in our position, the business environment has been challenging and I thank Jon for his leadership during this difficult period and wish him well in his future.
‘Archie returns to the CEO role, bringing a deep knowledge of both the company and the industry.’
Harwoods said ‘no further comment’ would be made about the changes.
Harwoods is a family-owned company founded in 1931. As well as the car dealerships it operates truck servicing, repair and maintenance sites, across the south of England.
