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Group 1 continues its UK expansion with another dealer and a new UK General Manager

Posted on by darion

Last week, Group 1 Automotive made two acquisitions in the UK: a dealership and a CEO.

The US dealership group has added Soper of Lincoln BMW/MINI in Lincolnshire, north of London, to its extensive UK holdings. Group 1 said the acquisition is expected to generate approximately $125 million in annual revenue.

Group 1 said it now achieved an estimated $3.9 billion in annual revenue in 2024, following $1.1 billion in revenue in 2023.

“We want to welcome our new team members from Soper of Lincoln to the Group 1 family and are excited to expand our business with these great brands,” said CEO Daryl Kenningham. “Our strong relationship with the manufacturer and our experience in this area of ​​the market make it a great addition to our UK operations.”

With the acquisition, Group 1, which has been operating in the UK since 2007, now has 260 dealers and 44 collision centers in the US and UK, of which 114 are in the UK

These stores will now be overseen by Marek Raban, who the company announced has been appointed CEO of Group 1 Automotive UK

Raban will oversee the integration of 54 Inchcape dealers acquired by Group 1 this summer to drive strategic growth in the UK

The company said Raban will leverage its expanded brand portfolio and presence to focus on improving customer experience and strengthening Group 1 OEM partnerships.

“Mark is a proven leader with a track record of success in the UK car trade,” said Kenningham. “Following the transformational growth of our UK business, he will play a key role in creating a high-performing culture among our team members and engaging customers across our extended dealer network.”

Raban joins the team with over 20 years of leadership experience in vehicle retail and finance, most recently serving as CFO and later CEO of Lookers Motor Group, a dealer group in the UK and Ireland. He was previously CFO of Marshall Motor Holdings and held senior finance positions at Inchcape Retail, Selfridges and Borders.

Raban said he is joining Group 1 “at a pivotal time for the organization” and looks forward to “empowering our teams across the country.” By leveraging our combined strengths, we can achieve operational excellence and customer-centric innovation. We have the opportunity to set the highest standard for automotive retail in the UK.”