John Clark OBE joins the AM Hall of Fame

At the 2024 AM Awards we were delighted to induct John Clark OBE, chairman of John Clark Motor Group, into the AM Hall of Fame. The award was sponsored by GardX.

Our inductee has had a lifelong association with cars and has used the knowledge and experience gained with manufacturers, distributors and dealerships to build an admirably successful AM100 dealer group.

John Clark was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 in recognition of his services to business, motorsport and charity in Scotland.

The role he has now, as chairman of John Clark Motor Group, shows how astute and successful he has been since his teenage years when he joined Ford on a management training scheme.

Only in his 20s, Clark began running his first dealership, Lothian Sports Cars, selling Lotus, Scimitar and Aston Martin cars.

A keen and skilled driver, his early business results were achieved alongside a successful motorsports career, competing in the British Touring Car Championship and securing trophies in historic racing championships.

Over the following five decades, Clark added new businesses across the east of Scotland, encompassing Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Elgin and Edinburgh. BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Mitsubishi, Skoda, Suzuki, Land Rover and Volvo are among the franchises he secured on the route to building a top 20 AM100 motor retailer employing well over than 1,000 people.

Throughout his business leadership, Clark has valued the contributions of every member of the John Clark Motor Group workforce, their hard work and dedication to high standards of service. Each and every department within the group plays a vital role.

Although his son Chris has taken on the managing director role, Clark remains very hands-on in the business and remains committed to serving Scotland’s motorists.

He and the business also continue to support their community and worthwhile causes, from sponsoring young sportspeople and racing drivers to supporting work to find a cure for dementia.

AM editor Tim Rose said: “We’re proud to induct John Clark OBE into the AM Hall of Fame. He is a true ambassador for the motor retail industry.”

> RESULTS AND PICTURES FROM THE 2024 AM AWARDS

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Recent inductees:

2023 - Daksh Gupta, Marshall Motor Group and Ben

2022 – Stuart Foulds, TrustFord

2021 – Professor Richard Parry-Jones CBE, Marshall Motor Group

2020 – Graham Day, CEM Day

2019 – Tony Whitehorn, Hyundai

2018 – Jack Tordoff MBE, JCT600

2017 – Michael Smyth, Swansway Group

2016 – Mark Squires, Benfield Motor Group and NFDA

2015 – Gerard Nieuwenhuys, Sytner