How Shelbourne Motors is making a multi-brand dealership work

Fred Ward, the group’s founder, began selling vehicles from his home in the town – just a mile from the new dealership location – in 1970 and the current leadership team literally grew up in the motor trade.

His sons, Paul and Richard, are sales directors at the business, while his daughter, Caroline Willis (nee Ward), is the business’s finance director.

“There is no need to have someone in the traditional managing director’s role,” said Caroline, when AM travelled to Newry to meet the team.