12:27 pm, January 13, 2025
Marshall Motor Group CEO Martin Casha has decided to retire from his post at the dealer group and will leave at the end of March.
As exclusively revealed by Car Dealer sources on Friday, Casha will be replaced by former Mercedes boss Gary Savage as CEO and supported by James Mullins as CFO.
The business will implement a new Constellation Retail Division which will include both the Cinch and Marshall businesses.
The Marshall and Cinch brands will remain and come under a new Constellation Retail Group banner.
The news was broken to staff by Constellation Automotive Group CEO Avril Palmer-Baunack this morning and the email has been leaked to Car Dealer.
The company has been approached for comment.
In the email bulletin to staff, she said: ‘Martin Casha joined Marshall Motor Group in 2023 with the objective of leading the business to a position of readiness to initiate the next phase of our growth within the framework of the Constellation Retail division.
‘Having successfully led Marshall Motor Group through this transition, Martin has taken the decision to retire from the business at the end of March 2025, coinciding with his milestone 65th birthday.
‘On behalf of the entire Constellation Automotive Group, I would like to thank Martin for bringing his unrivalled automotive retail experience to bear in improving processes and performance, together with assembling a robust and experienced leadership structure across the Marshall business.’
Last year, Marshall Motor Group profits plummeted 62% to £16.4m, down from £42.9m the year before, accounts revealed. Revenue was broadly similar for the year ended March 31, 2024, at £3.6bn, down from £3.7bn in 2023.
Palmer-Baunack’s email added: ‘As a result of Martin’s decision, we will implement a new Constellation Retail Division Management Board structure which will be led by Gary Savage as CEO and James Mullins as CFO.
‘James has performed a number of key roles for Constellation Automotive Group over the past three years and will now take on the role of CFO, Constellation Retail Division, to work alongside Gary to deliver on the group’s strategy for its retail division.
‘The Constellation Retail board will then be supported by an operational management team for the retail division that will include members from both Cinch and Marshall. Both the Cinch and Marshall brands will be retained.’
Savage retired from his role as CEO of Mercedes in June last year and was appointed a director of Constellation Retail Limited, a dormant company owned by Constellation, on November 1.
His appointment as a director was made on the same day as Casha and James Mullins.
Constellation Automotive Group CEO Avril Palmer-Baunack was appointed a director of the same company in August 2024.
Palmer-Baunack’s email to staff added: ‘We are confident that with this new structure, we will be best placed to optimise the strengths of both the Marshall and Cinch brands so that we continue to deliver value to our customers and partners.
‘Once again, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Martin for his commitment and support since joining us in 2023.’
