8:41 am, June 16, 2024
Richard Garbutt has been made the new chief executive of Stellantis &You UK in a promotion from his role as sales director.
He joined Peugeot in 1994, working in sales, aftersales and franchising roles, then moved into retail with Robins & Day in 2005, starting as sales manager and subsequently becoming branch manager, general manager and then regional manager with responsibility for London and Scotland.
Garbutt said: ‘I’m delighted to be appointed. I’ve seen the group and our teams and people evolve, and I’m passionate about the success of both.
‘We know the challenges of such a dynamic market, but more importantly the opportunities, and I look forward to working with the whole team to create success together.’
He has replaced Angela Shepherd, who is leaving the group after becoming CEO in May 2023, having joined from Mercedes-Benz Retail Group.
Stellantis &You UK’s retail division was rebranded as Stellantis &You, Sales and Services in January 2023 to bring it in line with the rest of Europe and Morocco.
It currently has 24 Peugeot, 17 Citroen, five DS, five Vauxhall, three Fiat and three Abarth new car franchise dealerships and seven Distrigo parts distribution hubs at 34 sites across the UK.
Garbutt had been in the sales director role since 2016, overseeing new, used and fleet operations.
He has also been instrumental in digitising the group’s systems to improve used car performance and profitability, said Stellantis.
Following the launch of Fiat and Abarth at the west London site and Vauxhall in Selly Oak, Stellantis &You, Sales and Services is continuing its multi-franchise expansion plans with a new state-of-the-art, six-brand showroom set to open in Bristol in the summer.
This will see the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands added to Stellantis &You UK’s portfolio.
