Navigate provide a coaching and programme implementation service including strategic planning and operational programmes to deliver maximum results. We offer support as you navigate your business to a more profitable future by focusing on improving business efficiency and delivering an outstanding customer experience. We can call upon over 50 years combined experience in the Irish automotive industry across all business sectors.

Responsible for all aspects of new car, diplomatic and used car sales along with our internal and hire drive fleet. More recently I developed direct sales channels to corporate customers and government bodies. These provide additional volume and a buffer against under-performing retailers. I am accountable for delivering sales revenues in the region of €140-150m, along with the design, funding and implementation of all tactical programmes for new and used cars.Our used car programme is the best in the industry involving demanding performance standards, comprehensive online presence and strong customer benefits along a 2-year warranty. The used car sales channel makes a serious contribution to network performance and an excellent recruiting ground for new car sales.I work closely with our bank (BMW Financial Services Ireland) to promote our BMW PCP and HP products to maximise penetration and retention opportunities. This relationship is regarded internally as an example of best practice and I believe it has been a major contributor to our sales success.My responsibilities have always included those of the Deputy Managing Director.I have always been active in the Society of the Motor Industry (SIMI) serving most of my time on the Distributor Committee and the National Executive Council. I enjoy excellent rapport with the senior management in the SIMI.

In early 2003 I was invited by BMW AG to help establish a team to setup their new Subsidiary in Dublin and I was appointed Director, Sales and Marketing. I was responsible for sales of all group products; BMW, MINI, and Motorrad, along with corporate communications, and marketing issues for BMW Group Ireland3. One of my biggest challenges at the time was to raise the Irish retail network’s sales management and performance to a level expected by the new national sales company.Restructured our organisation in the summer of 2008 to meet the target head count imposed by BMW AG.Following the crash in 2009, I acted proactively to protect the retail network which was my #1 objective. I approached it by taking a number of initiatives such as optimising production planning to ease stock pressure and interest costs along with encouraging our network to import used cars to improve volume, coaching the retailers to restructure their businesses, co-hosting IFC coaching, cost control, organisation, taxation, and leadership tutorials using our internal training facilities. Where we had retailer casualties the losses were minimal due to very tight credit management.I initiated a central hire drive programme whereby BMW offers the major companies a ‘one-stop’ shop for production, delivery, finance and disposal of their fleets. This also provides the network with a useful additional sales channel when we dispose of the fleet in the second half of the year.I developed new sales channels for BMW Group Ireland including the corporate, leasing and diplomatic. This involved gaining support for the projects and the necessary financial resources.

I was promoted to General Manager, Sales and Marketing, in September 1996, with the brief to reorganise the BMW operation in Ireland. I took responsibility for all BMW new and used cars sales, production and stock management along with marketing. I was the key liaison with BMW Ag in relation to annual target agreements. In 2002 I was responsible for the successful launch of the MINI brand in Ireland.

I reported jointly to the group chief executive and chairman and was responsible for group marketing programmes for key brands: BMW, Mitsubishi Motors & Pioneer along with promotion of the holding company. My role brought me into close contact with retailer principals, the media, and with colleagues in BMW AG and MMC Europe, while working on three demanding product portfolios.I set up a cross-functional team to achieve the ISO 9000 (DIN 9000) management quality standard throughout the group, which we achieved at our first attempt in 1993. We were the first distributor in the Irish Motor Industry to do so.

I was promoted to grocery manager in 1988 based in head office with responsibility for grocery sales (approximately 55% of total volume) in all stores. I reported to the general manager/director and was accountable for all grocery related sales across the group, store layout and planning for grocery sales, and compilation of data from scanning system into management reports. I was responsible for the development of new computer aided store layout design system in cooperation with an IT development partner in USA.

In my role as assistant to Marketing manager I was responsible for the coordination of all Corporate Identity materials, support for corporate communications activities, ‘First Responder’ to all customer related issues on behalf of the Managing Director. This led to a good understanding of consumer relations including the development of an innovative response programme for customer issues in a timely and efficient manner.