Bill Parfitt is retiring from GMUK and Ireland, to be replaced by Duncan Aldred.

However Parfitt will retain the post of non-executive chairman at the carmaker from January 2010, focusing on non-operational activities in the business.

At that point, Aldred, currently director of European sales operations at GM Europe, will return to the UK to take up the roles of managing director GMUK and executive director of sales, service and marketing UK & Ireland.

Bolton-born Aldred was first associated with Vauxhall as an undergraduate at the Ellesmere Port plant in 1990.

Roles since have included Vauxhall retail sales director in 2004,  director of sales, marketing and aftersales at GM South East Europe in 2006 and his current role since April 2009.

Parfitt has been in senior executive roles at Vauxhall since joining in 1998 as Fleet Operations Director following a long career of senior roles in dealerships.

In December 2000, he was promoted to general sales director and in June 2001, appointed executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales and elected to the board of Vauxhall Motors.

Reflecting the increased integration of all GM’s brands in the region into a multi-brand environment, Parfitt took responsibility for Saab GB and Ireland in 2003, Opel Ireland in 2004 and for Chevrolet UK in 2005.

In 2005, he also assumed responsibility for GM Europe’s fleet operations.

In addition to his role as managing director, he took over the chairmanship of GMUK and Ireland in 2007 and also added the Cadillac, Corvette and Hummer brands to the UK portfolio.