– Dealer group CEO to step down amid leadership reshuffle
– Latest deputy and CFO appointments to drive integration
– Give attention to growth, alignment and top 10 market position
– Dealer group CEO to step down amid leadership reshuffle
– Latest deputy and CFO appointments to drive integration
– Give attention to growth, alignment and top 10 market position
AWR Holdings has announced its chief executive officer José Blanco is about to step down later this 12 months.
The AM100 heavyweight, which comprises Brayleys Cars and Johnsons Cars, has undergone significant expansion lately.
Brayleys Cars founder Paul Brayley began the business in 2003 with a single Honda business in St Albans and expanded it over time so as to add franchises including Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Renault and Suzuki.
He sold a big stake within the business in 2018 to Dubai-based franchised automotive retailer AW Rostamani Group, which subsequently acquired Nissan dealer group Aprite and rebranded its Westway dealerships as Brayleys.
When Paul Brayley retired as CEO from the group last March, Europcar executive Jose Blanco was chosen to switch him.
Athenaeum International Holdings, the owner of AM100 dealership group Brayleys Cars, then went on to amass Johnsons Cars in May 2025 to create one among the UK’s top ten automotive retailers with a £1.6bn turnover, 79 dealerships and 21 manufacturer brands.
Leadership transition
The business said Blanco has played a key role in overseeing the combination and growth of the enlarged group, with the board acknowledging his contribution during what it described as a crucial phase of development.
Former KPMG automotive chief Andrew Burn who recently joined the business as deputy CEO will now work alongside Blanco ahead of his departure to make sure a smooth transition until a brand new CEO is in situ.
Burn brings experience from his previous role as a partner at KPMG, where he also served as head of automotive within the UK, alongside multiple board roles across the sector.
The leadership changes also include the appointment of Punit Shetty as chief financial officer, joining from AW Rostamani in Dubai where he held the role of automotive chief financial officer for 15 years.
Give attention to growth, integration
Each Burn and Shetty will deal with aligning operations across Brayleys and Johnsons while maintaining operational and financial continuity.
The group said priorities include embedding best practice, strengthening performance disciplines and supporting future growth ambitions because it builds on its position as a top 10 UK dealer group.
Commenting on the transition, Andrew Burn said: “This can be a very exciting time for the group. Bringing Brayleys and Johnsons together creates a robust platform from which to proceed our growth strategy.
“We’ve got already launched several initiatives to align all areas of the business, constructing on proven best practice from across each organisations while we actively review and develop latest and revolutionary approaches as we attempt to excel and challenge traditional considering across the sector.
“The depth of talent, experience and capability inside our team is phenomenal, and following our recent national conference there may be an actual buzz and momentum across the business.”
He added that shareholders were absolutely committed to the group and were focused on delivering the strategic objective of delivering best at school customer support and work environment for its workforce.
“With that unwavering support combined with the strength of Brayleys and Johnsons,” Burn said, “we all know we’re in an exciting position and can create something truly remarkable together.”
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