Hamish McCowan has been promoted as after sales director of Kia Motors (UK).

In his new role, McCowan, who left Mazda in 2000 to join Kia as a regional business manager before moving to head of aftersales in 2003, will be developing Kia’s internal and dealer network training programme (including the apprenticeship programme) as well as supporting Kia’s general affairs.

He says: “By building strong foundations in all areas of the aftersales service, we ensure that customer loyalty remains with the brand and support our dealer network in their expansion.”

Due to Kia’s continued increase in new vehicle sales, the manufacturer’s parts and accessories business has grown substantially. In 2005, dealer net parts sales reached £17.9m, representing a growth of 380% over sales in 2001. Equally, accessory sales grew 350% over the same period, mirroring Kia’s expansion in the UK market.