Marshall bolsters management team with two senior appointments

Marshall Motor Group has bolstered its management team with two senior appointments.

Matt Southall has been appointed as strategy and technology director to lead the digital transformation within the group.

Southall was previously chief strategy & transformation officer at Lithia UK and Pendragon.

He held senior strategic and operational roles at Argos, which was subsequently acquired by Sainsbury’s, and was responsible for the commercial performance and transformation of the B2B division in Argos.

He joined Pendragon in early 2020, with a brief to refresh its strategy and led the implementation of numerous initiatives to drive digital, operational and commercial change.

David Johnson RICS has joined as property director. He has over 35 years of automotive property experience, with 20 years in the corporate real estate sector and a further 15 years of consultancy work in private practice.

He worked for 18 years at Listers Group, serving on the operational board as property director for the last 13 years.

Prior to this, Johnson spent ten years in the Automotive Team at property consultants Colliers International.

Most recently, he has been in private practice with Rapleys LLP as part of their Automotive and Roadside Team advising dealer groups.

Southall said: “I am delighted to take on this new challenge with Marshall Motor Group at a critical time to support this powerhouse business at a time of change across the automotive sector.”

Johnson said: “Marshall Motor Group operates one of the largest commercial footprints in the UK automotive retail space and I am looking forward to working with my new colleagues as the group continues to develop its significant retail network across 34 counties in England.”

Martin Casha, Marshall Motor Group CEO, said: “We are very pleased to announce these two significant appointments to the Marshall Motor Group senior leadership team.”