Dealer group Lookers has announced the appointment a new chief people officer – Chris Whitaker.
Whitaker joined Lookers in August 2020 and became interim HR director in October, but will now head up the company’s internal communications operations with the new role.
The announcement is the latest in a series of new senior management appointments for the troubled dealer group.
Earlier this month, Lookers announced the appointment of former Toyota GB president Paul van der Burgh as a non-executive director from April 1, joining the board with non-executive chairman Phil White CBE and non-executive directors, Heather Jackson, Vicky Mitchell and Robin Churchouse.
Lookers CEO Mark Raban said: ‘I’m delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Whitaker to the role of chief people officer, further consolidating our senior management team and providing a strong base from which to drive new growth and development.
‘Our people are our most valuable asset and I have every confidence that Chris will continue to harness the outstanding talent, skills and experience we seek to build further on this unrivalled core strength.
‘With his fresh impetus, Chris has already made a fantastic contribution to the Group and he will bring invaluable experience to the role as we prepare to safely scale up our operations again when restrictions are eased.
‘I am delighted that Chris is joining our executive committee and I look forward to working closely with him in the weeks and months ahead.’
Chris Whitaker said: ‘I’m thrilled to be joining the senior team at Lookers at an important, exciting time in the company’s development and I look forward to assisting in delivering a new, shared growth right across our network.
‘This appointment is a privilege, and I would like to thank my colleagues for their support as I embark on this new and focal role.’
Lookers timeline: What’s happened when?
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March 15, 2021 – Lookers’ previous auditors Deloitte under investigation by Financial Reporting Council of its work on the group’s accounts in 2017 and 2018.
March 2, 2021 – FCA investigation closed and no fine imposed on Lookers. FCA expressed ‘concerns’ relating to ‘historic culture, systems and controls’, but said no further action would be taken.
January 29, 2021 – Lookers revealed it lost £36.1m in the first half of 2020. The interim results led to shares being relisted on London Stock Exchange. They immediately rose 77 per cent.
January 6, 2021 – Lookers appoints Anna Bielby as interim chief financial officer, but there was no news on the delayed interim results.
December 29, 2020 – A third of shareholders vote against Lookers directors’ remuneration packages – including CEO Mark Raban’s £450k salary – at a general meeting.
December 18, 2020 – Lookers tells investors that its interim results, promised to be delivered before the end of the year, will now not be published.
December 9, 2020– Lookers reveals interim CFO Jim Perrie has quit early and says it is ‘unlikely’ the interim results will be out before the end of the year.
November 25, 2020 – Lookers finally releases its annual accounts for 2019 showing a statutory loss for 2019 of £45.5m. Promises interim results in December and the hopeful reinstatement of shares on Stock Market.
October 31, 2020 – Long-standing Lookers non-executive director Tony Bramall, one of the group’s major investors, brings forward the date he will leave the board to the end of December. No reason is given for his early departure.
October 19, 2020 – Lookers updates market on performance in Q3, but still no word on its 2019 accounts or the FCA investigation. Analysts expect results to be out before December.
August 20, 2020 – Accounts delayed for fourth time and no promise given as to when they’ll be published.
June 9, 2020 – Lookers says it will suspend shares on July 1. Delays accounts for third time and says they’ll be published ‘no later than the end of August 2020’.
June 5, 2020 – Lookers says it will axe 12 dealerships and cut 1,500 jobs.
May 2020 – Pendragon CEO Bill Berman admits he wrote to Lookers to discuss a merger and updates Stock Market to that effect. Move described as ‘two drunk men bumping into each other in a bar’.
April 2020 – Fraud investigation deepens. £4m charge revealed and firm says there could be more. Delays accounts to June.
March 12, 2020 – New chief operating officer Cameron Wade leaves role after only a month in post.
March 11, 2020 – Lookers delays results, saying that in final stages of preparation ‘potentially fraudulent transactions’ in one division were discovered. Promises results in April.
November 2019 – Chief executive Andy Bruce and chief operating officer Nigel McMinn leave firm abruptly.
June 2019 – FCA launches review into sales processes at Lookers between January 2016 and June 2019. Lookers cannot ‘estimate what effect, if any, the outcome of the investigation may have’.
December 2018 – Lookers launches independent internal audit into sales process. It eventually finds ‘control issues’ in sales process where ‘improvements’ are needed. Findings handed to FCA.
